Eight suspects in Syrian man’s murder released ahead of trial

Eight Syrian men accused of the premediated murder of a 20-year-old male compatriot last April in Chlorakas, Paphos and pleaded not guilty last July are out of custody while awaiting the new trial date.

Another Syrian national, who was accused of being an accessory after the fact, has also been freed. He too had pleaded not guilty.

The nine suspects are between 19 and 31.

The new trial date for the nine suspects is set to take place from April 14 to 16. Their defence lawyers convinced the judges that there is no risk of the defendants fleeing and that, so far, they had complied with the conditions set by the court.

The case concerns the death of 20-year-old Jamal Alhadz whose body was found hidden in a riverbed last April. The victim had been stabbed multiple times with a knife during an altercation in the Vrexi area on the coastal road between Chlorakas and Kato Paphos. The killing was related to matters of honour.

Two other Syrian nationals, aged 22 and 25, are believed to be the persons who actually stabbed the 20-year-old man. They are still in custody and awaiting trial, which is set to take place on February 15.

They were arrested in December after being handed over from the north, where they fled.

Prosecution told the court that the incident unfolded in three locations: in the Mesogi area where the victim was abducted, the house of one of the suspects to which the victim was taken and Vrexi beach in Chlorakas where the 20-year-old was taken and murdered.

One of the suspects said in his testimony that he and three other suspects had agreed last April that they had to make the victim stop his relationship with the wife of one of their friends.

He said that on that day he and another suspect drove around to find Alhadz. Two other suspects followed them in another car.

Alhadz’ flatmate, who is also among the suspects, said he had received a call from them that day asking him to help them locate the 20-year-old to beat him up. The flatmate said he went with one of the four men looking for Alhadz to where they had arranged to meet.

At the meeting point, Alhadz, followed by his flatmate and the other man, who called the men in the cars to tell them where the 20-year-old was headed.

After being caught, the victim was taken by car to the house of another suspect where the husband was waiting for them, along with another wanted man and three of the suspects.

They then took the victim to the Vrexi area, where three of the suspects and the two wanted men started hitting him and kicking him. Two of them then fatally stabbed the 20-year-old.