Developments are rapid in the high-profile murder case of Stavros Demosthenous in Limassol, with authorities proceeding with the arrest of a 31-year-old man who is alleged to have been peripherally involved in the actions of the main suspects. The 31-year-old was brought before the Limassol District Court on Sunday morning, where a request for his detention was examined. His lawyer did not object, and the Court ordered his remand for a period of eight days.
The suspect appears to have played a significant, yet auxiliary role, as he allegedly hid the clothes of a 28-year-old man, who is considered a key figure in the case and is believed to be the driver of both the motorcycle used in the murder and the stolen van.
The arrest of the two wanted men in Thessaloniki paved the way for new revelations. During searches at the residence of one of the two, a Mercedes car with Cypriot license plates was found, which belongs to the 31-year-old suspect. During the examination of the vehicle by the Greek authorities, documents related to movements to and from the occupied territories were found, both in the name of the 31-year-old and the 28-year-old man.
Testimony secured by the Cypriot Authorities states that the day after the murder, the specific vehicle crossed into the occupied territories through the Agios Dometios checkpoint in Nicosia. This evidence was reinforced through the Bi-communal Contact Office, as they recorded the entry of the two men into the occupied areas with the vehicle, as well as their boarding a ship that departed from the illegal port of Kyrenia on October 19, heading for Turkey.
Furthermore, a person who has repeatedly cooperated with the Police in the past provided a key piece of information, stating that he saw the 28-year-old traveling to Greece via the occupied territories in the 31-year-old’s car. The same source revealed that the suspect, after the murder, hid the clothes worn by the 28-year-old in his home.
Based on this evidence, a judicial arrest warrant was issued, and the 31-year-old was taken into custody. When informed of the reasons for his arrest and his rights, he merely replied: “I don’t know anything.”
During his oral interrogation at the Limassol CID, the suspect claimed that on October 18, he traveled alone to the occupied territories in his car and from there sailed to Turkey, though he could not recall which port he disembarked at. According to his claims, he then drove to Thessaloniki for professional reasons, where—as he stated—he coincidentally met the 28-year-old, whom he described as his childhood friend. He allegedly saw the second wanted person there as well.
During his written interrogation, the 31-year-old answered every question by saying that he “will tell the Court whatever he has to say.”
Limassol CID investigators are intensively continuing the investigation, and it is considered certain that new elements will emerge.
