Trial of suspect in Turkish Cypriot girl’s murder begins

The trial of Sefer Bugra Altundag, who stands accused of murdering 16-year-old Turkish Cypriot girl Zehie Helin Reessur in January, began in Trikomo on Wednesday.

The trial had been adjourned for months subject to the arrival of a dossier on the murder from Turkey and discussions between the prosecution and defence but is now finally underway.

In court, police inspector Erdim Kara said forensic investigations were carried out on the morning of January 25, finding that Reessur had died at around 2:20am the same day after being struck with a blunt object in the throat and the back of the head.

Reessur had “deep and serious” wounds on her head, Kara said.

He added that in examinations of the area where the body was located, police found an object with an iron handle on top of a wooden board, which was stained in blood.

In addition, he said that a number of items were taken as evidence, including a pair of glasses, a mobile phone, clothes belonging to both Reessur and Altundag, as well as the item with an iron handle.

Investigations determined that Reessur made a telephone call at 1:43am on the day of the murder, with the transcript of the call also submitted as evidence.

Altundag himself made a telephone call to a man named Bahadir Ozcan at 1:38am on the same day and switched his phone off twice after connecting to the internet in the Dheryneia area at 3:27am.

Kara explained that Altundag, Reessur, and Ozcan all met at Ozcan’s house on the night the murder took place. He added that a number of items from Ozcan’s house were also taken as evidence.

The trial continues on Thursday.