The appeals court on Monday overturned a district court ruling on the detention of a 54-year-old lawyer and a 44-year-old police officer accused of involvement in the escape of a Swedish fugitive from a Larnaca clinic on December 22, 2024.
The pair, represented by defence lawyer Kypros Andreou, had appealed against the initial decision, requesting for them to be released under conditions. The appeals court accepted their arguments and granted them conditional release.
Andreou had challenged the lower court’s ruling on nine grounds, including claims that it misinterpreted the defence’s position on the likelihood of conviction and wrongly concluded that there was a risk of flight.
The appeals court found merit in the arguments related to witness tampering and flight risk.
The ruling stated that “based on the specific circumstances of the case, and particularly because the lower court did not adequately assess the matter under established principles, we find that the appellants’ ties to Cyprus and their personal circumstances could tip the scales in favour of conditional release. We consider the likelihood of escape to be reduced when weighing these factors against the severity of the offences”.
The court ordered the release of both defendants on conditions, including a cash deposit of €15,000 each and the surrender of their travel documents.
Their names will also be placed on the stop list, and they must report to a police station three times a week.
The two accused, along with the 47-year-old Swedish fugitive, are due to appear before the Criminal Court of Larnaca on Tuesday, where they will formally respond to the charges against them.
The lawyer and police officer are alleged to have played key roles in the escape plan.
The police officer reportedly facilitated contact between the fugitive and the lawyer, purchased phone cards, and provided the shoes worn during the escape.
The lawyer is accused of delivering a mobile phone, chargers, a handcuff key, and a map indicating the meeting point after the escape.
The prosecution’s case relies on the fugitive’s alleged confession, phone records between the accused, and witness testimonies set to be presented in court.
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