Police seeking third suspect in Oroklini shooting

Police are asking for information that can help identify Andreas Christou, 35, in connection with the attempted murder in Oroklini.

Anyone who might have information leading to his arrest should contact CID Larnaca at 24-804060, their nearest police station, or the citizen’s line 1460.

On December 4, gunshots were fired at a moving car driven by a 42-year-old man with a six-year-old boy and a 40-year-old man as passengers. The incident occurred in Oroklini at around 5.30am on their way to go hunting.

The older passenger as well as the child were injured and were transferred to the hospital. The 42-year-old suffered an abdominal wound and leg injuries while the child suffered a fracture on his right leg. Both underwent surgery.

The third person was not injured because he reportedly managed to get out of the car when the shooting began.

On Saturday, Larnaca district court issued an eight-day remand for a 34-year-old man suspected of being involved. This was the second suspect in the case. A 31-year-old was already on remandafter turning himself in to police

The 31-year-old suspect admitted that he did not know if there were other people involved in the attempted murder apart from a 35-year-old individual who was still at large.

He told police that the 35-year-old was the person who approached him to plan the murder of the 42-year-old in Oroklini, for which he was paid €20,000.

The court also heard that the 35-year-old was reported to police as a missing person on December 7 by his sister. His vehicle was found abandoned in the area of ​​Agios Nikolaos on the British bases.

She reportedly said he had revealed to her that he had conspired with the 34-year-old to commit the murder and that he would receive the sum of €40,000 from the 34-year-old, however in the end received only €20,000.

The sister also told police that the 35-year-old handed her a mobile phone, which she turned over to authorities as evidence.

According to the investigator, the 34-year-old suspect was not tied through DNA to the weapon or the balaclava found at the scene, and that nothing suspicious was found at his home.

Only a verbal statement was taken from the 42-year-old victim. Since the attack, he has been hospitalised at the Larnaca general and is unable to give a written statement.