Both the Nicosia Criminal Court and the Supreme Court have turned down a request to add former Interior Minister Constantinos Petrides as a witness in a ‘golden passports’ case.
Seven legal and physical persons are accused of crimes allegedly committed between 2017 and 2019 related to citizenship by investment applications. Specifically, the case focuses on the naturalisation of three Egyptians through a construction company.
Prosecutors sought to add Petrides, who served as Interior Minister from May 2017 to December 2019, as a witness for the prosecution. However, the courts rejected this request, deeming it unjustified.
The Attorney General appealed to the Supreme Court to overturn the lower court’s decision and pause the case until a ruling was made.
Defense lawyers objected, arguing the request was a delay tactic and an attempt to address gaps in the prosecution’s case. They suggested the witness, if important, should have been sought earlier.
The Supreme Court, in its decision, noted that the Attorney General was essentially seeking a review of the lower court’s decision, which was within the lower court’s jurisdiction. The Court ruled that “even if the Criminal Court misinterpreted the law or misweighed the evidence, this does not justify reviewing its intermediate decision through privileged writs.”
The Court also dismissed arguments that not adding the witness would disrupt the trial. It ruled that any consequences of a lower court’s decision on a matter within its jurisdiction do not justify granting the specific legal remedy sought.
The Cyprus citizenship by investment scheme was abolished in 2020 after an undercover investigation by Al Jazeera revealed rampant corruption and that the government approved issuing passports to international criminals and fugitives, drawing criticism from the European Union and sparking protests in the country.
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