Police have already investigated allegations that the defence approached a prosecution witness in the rape trial of suspended Paphos mayor Phedon Phedonos, according to Phileleftheros information.
Investigators from the district Criminal Investigation Department, officers who do not serve in Paphos, where the case is being heard, have already taken statements from people said to have knowledge of the alleged out-of-court approach.
The information put before police was that the defence side approached a prosecution witness who had testified under oath about telecommunications data, based on his expertise.
In his testimony to the court, the witness had referred to a foreign legal entity or organisation capable of carrying out forensic data examinations.
The person who testified under oath said individuals acting for the defence asked him out of court to name the company or organisation.
The witness had already testified under oath, and the alleged incident occurred afterwards. Phileleftheros understands this means it cannot arbitrarily be described as an attempt to influence a witness. This is something that will be clarified through the investigation by the prosecuting authorities and their evaluation of the evidence gathered.
The in-camera hearing will resume on September 10, according to the Paphos Criminal Court’s schedule. The last hearing sitting was held last Friday.
A double-digit number of prosecution witnesses had already testified during last week’s hearings, sources said. The witness list includes around 30 people. Facts may potentially be admitted by both sides to avoid a witness testimony process and save court time.
On Phedonos’s side, as Phileleftheros reported last Tuesday, a request had been made to the court for the complainant to be examined by a doctor of his choosing. However, this does not appear to have been approved, according to information.
Phedonos faces five charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty: rape, indecent assault (two counts), administering a stupefying substance with intent to commit a felony or misdemeanour, and assault causing actual bodily harm. The offences he faces are considered very serious. The first three carry a sentence of life imprisonment upon conviction. The offences were allegedly committed in 2014.
Senior counsel of the Republic Michaela Pasiardi represents the prosecution in the case.
The three-member Criminal Court is composed of Lia Markou (President of the District Court), Theodoros Symeonidis (District Judge) and Maria Sokratous (District Judge).
