The Limassol Permanent Criminal Court today unanimously found four defendants guilty at the prima facie stage in the murder of 55-year-old Thanasis Kalogeropoulos, killed on 30 October 2023 in a car park next to a seaside restaurant in Limassol.
The defendants (aged 43, 46 and 23) face a total of 11 joint charges, whilst the fourth defendant, aged 24, faces the additional charge of accessory after the fact to murder.
The heavy joint indictment includes the offences of conspiracy to murder, premeditated murder, possession, transport and use of category A and B firearms, possession, transport and use of explosives, as well as arson of a vehicle.
During the hearing, 75 witnesses testified, whilst some were admitted. The trial heard, among other things, 555 exhibits, testimonies and video evidence from CCTV systems in the area where the murder was committed, as well as videos and conversations from the defendants’ telecommunications data.
As noted in the Criminal Court’s decision, the evidence presented by the prosecution was circumstantial and concerned, among other things, CCTV systems, telecommunications data, videos, mobile phones and other related evidence. The decision notes that the court approached the circumstantial evidence for each defendant separately, stressing that it was not contradictory.
It also noted that all necessary statutory elements for establishing each charge against each defendant are met at this stage.
The Criminal Court found the defendants guilty at the present stage and called them to defence.
Specifically, it stated that the three defendants are called to defence for all charges (1-10 and 12), whilst the 24-year-old is called to defence for the 13th charge.
The defendants, according to their lawyers, will maintain their right to silence and do not wish to testify under oath and will call defence witnesses for the continuation of the proceedings. The first defendant’s lawyer noted he will call an expert witness in relation to the case.
The hearing for the case has been scheduled for the next period.
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