A 79-year-old man has been remanded in custody for six days following his arrest as a suspect in a knife attack against his tenant on Monday evening in Limassol.
The 57-year-old victim suffered a knife wound to the face inside the residence where he lives with his wife. The suspect appeared before Limassol District Court today for a custody hearing.
Suspect denies involvement in face-slashing incident at rental property
According to examinations conducted at the scene and the victim’s wife’s statement, around 21:00 Monday, whilst returning home, they heard persistent knocking at the front door.
Simultaneously, they discovered the courtyard gates were chained and locked with a metal padlock.
When her husband opened the door, an unknown man grabbed him by the neck and threw him to the ground in the living room area.
The attacker then used a knife to wound him in the face and punched him in both the face and stomach area, shouting: “I will kill you… and then I will leave”.
The victim’s wife then called police. The perpetrator fled the scene on a large-displacement motorcycle driven by an accomplice who waited outside the residence. The driver wore black clothing and a black helmet.
Previous threats and utility cuts preceded violent confrontation
According to the victim’s wife, the property belongs to the 79-year-old suspect, who has rented it to the couple for the past two years.
She noted that in July, the suspect asked the couple to vacate the property, as his daughter would move in. She requested a 4-5 month grace period, which was reportedly accepted by the suspect.
Court proceedings revealed that in early August, the suspect cut off water and electricity supply.
Additionally, last Friday, whilst the victim’s wife was away from home, two unknown men came to the residence and grabbed her husband by the neck, with one claiming to be the suspect’s nephew, threatening that if they did not leave by month’s end, they would be killed.
This incident was also reported to police.
Following the attack, the victim provided descriptions of both the perpetrator and the second man involved in the previous incident.
After his arrest, the 79-year-old denied any involvement in the case. The court ordered him held in custody for six days, with the suspect’s lawyer not objecting to the detention request.
The suspect faces investigation for conspiracy to commit a felony, assault, causing grievous bodily harm, carrying a knife, threats and illegal entry charges.
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