A private prosecution brought by the family of Thanasis Nicolaou, who was found dead under a bridge in Limassol in 2005, will continue on January 22, Limassol district court ruled on Tuesday as the defence is set to raise pre-trial objections.

Former state pathologist Panicos Stavrianos and four former police officers have been named in the action in relation to the circumstances around the aftermath of the 26-year-old conscript’s death.

The defence, after the first hearing on Tuesday, said it intended to object to the approval of the private prosecution itself, noting that the Nicolaou family’s lawyer, Savvas Matsas, was previously appointed as an independent investigator into the case and could therefore not be a prosecutor.

At the same time, the defence submitted a list of statements previously made by Matsas to the media.

Defence lawyers said a delay was necessary because they do not have the requested the witness material.

Matsas, speaking to local media, accused the defence of attempting to mislead the court and threatened to file objections too. He said the witness material is ready and would be provided “within the timeframe provided by law.”

The court expressed concern regarding the time that would elapse if there were separate pre-trial objections, requesting that they be submitted together, to avoid disruption of the proceedings.

The five defendants have signed financial guarantees to ensure they would appear before court in January.

The case has a total of 39 charges related to conspiracy to obstruct justice, neglect of duty, the issuing a false certificate by a public official, perjury, providing false information, the destruction of evidence and interference with judicial proceedings.

The majority of charges concern Stavrianos, who had initially ruled Nicolaou’s death a suicide, a decision which was overturned following a third examination, which in May 2024 attributed his death to a criminal act.