The two men accused of murdering 44-year-old Marios Onisiforou and 51-year-old Michalis Michail after a bar fight in Limassol in June pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them in court on Wednesday.

The defendants, aged 54 and 49, were brought before the criminal court charged with premeditated murder, as well as the wounding of the victims’ 43-year-old friend.

After they pleaded not guilty to the charges, one of the defendants’ lawyers objected to their remand and requested that he be released until the trial begins on November 15.

The court has deferred its decision on the matter until Thursday, while the second defendant will remain at the central prison until the trial begins.

Marios Onisiforou and Michalis Michail were both attacked with knives outside a bar in Ypsonas in the early hours of June 29. Onisiforou was stabbed in the neck and succumbed to his wounds shortly after, while Michail was stabbed in the face and died the following day.

It is believed that the disagreement between the involved parties had first come about after the 43-year-old who survived had become involved in a physical altercation with his brother.