A 51-year-old suspect’s attempts to distance himself from the murder of Stavros Dimosthenous have failed to convince investigators, who say his claims are contradicted by evidence in the case.
The suspect appeared before Limassol District Court on Tuesday alongside a 44-year-old former footballer for a custody extension hearing.
It marked the third eight-day remand period for the footballer and the second for the 51-year-old, both of whom continue to deny involvement.
Before proceedings began, prosecutor Panikos Avraamides asked the court to keep the footballer handcuffed, saying investigators had been informed the suspect had expressed an intention to escape.
The court approved the request for security reasons. The suspect’s lawyer denied the claim, arguing his client had been held in a solitary cell for 16 days.
Investigators requested an eight-day extension for both suspects, which their lawyers opposed.
Lead investigator Ilias Kreouzos told the court the 51-year-old denies any involvement and has made several claims, some of which police say are contradicted by evidence.
Investigators have taken 124 statements and collected dozens of exhibits now being examined by forensic laboratories. They have already reviewed extensive closed-circuit television footage and are awaiting around 69 more statements from people close to the suspects and the victim.
Kreouzos said searches continue daily along routes, at homes and at locations where the perpetrators moved before and after the crime, with new material constantly being added to the investigation. He said 22 searches have been conducted and two more targeted searches are planned to locate critical evidence.
Police are also reviewing private communications between suspects whilst awaiting telecommunications data results expected to significantly expand the scope of the investigation.
Stolen car, DNA and murder plan
A stolen Mitsubishi Colt played a decisive role in tracking down the 51-year-old suspect. The car was stolen 12 days before the murder and found three days before the killing near Sfalangiotissa cemetery.
It bore false number plates and contained two jerry cans of flammable liquid.
CCTV analysis showed individuals had travelled by moped near the victim’s home on 9, 10, 12, 13 and 14 October, then got into the Colt and a white van.
The routes they followed reinforced the conclusion that the murder plan was under way days before its execution.
According to police, the two jerry cans were intended to burn the vehicle, as ultimately happened with the stolen van after the crime.
Police connected the 51-year-old to the Colt theft after information arrived on 24 October. His DNA was identified on the cap of one of the jerry cans, leading to a new arrest warrant for offences directly related to the murder.
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