Three murder suspects to remain in custody until trial

The three suspects accused of the premediated murder of Leontios Poyiadjis, 60, will remain into custody until the hearing of the case before the Paphos criminal court on July 23.

Paphos district court had referred the three, aged 34, 41, and 27, to a direct trial before the district’s criminal court on Wednesday.

The defendants face charges related to conspiracy to commit a felony, conspiracy to commit murder, premeditated murder, illegal possession and transport of a category B firearm, illegal possession and transport of explosives and car arson.

The prosecution had asked the court for all three to remain in custody until the start of the hearings, but their lawyers objected to the request and demanded that they be released on parole.

In its decision on Friday, the court ordered that they remain in custody until the trial begins.

The case was registered before the court on Tuesday morning and concerns the murder of Poyiadjis, who was found dead in the back seat of a burned car in the Dasoudi area of Anarita on July 15, 2021.

It was adjourned for a hearing on Wednesday because the youngest suspect, who is in the central prison for another crime, could not attend the court on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the 41-year-old suspect was expected to be represented by his lawyer as he remains in Limassol hospital where he was taken after feeling unwell following his arrest on May 3 in Limassol.

Investigations started after authorities concluded the fire on the car where the body was found last year was set maliciously.

After that, a legal autopsy showed the man died from injuries to the abdomen caused by a firearm.