Demosthenous murder trial postponed amid disclosure delays

The trial into the premeditated murder of Limassol businessman Stavros Demosthenous was postponed on Tuesday to April 29 after the emergence of testimonial material that has yet to be disclosed to the defence.

The criminal court ruled the delay was necessary to ensure the defence has full access to the evidential record before responding to the charges.

The court will meanwhile deliver a decision on Thursday regarding an application for conditional release submitted on behalf of one of the accused.

Defence lawyers argued that the late disclosure undermines their ability to proceed, with several stating that “there is a lack of evidence” and that their clients are not in a position to answer the accusations.

Despite this, legal representatives for four of the defendants, two aged 30, one aged 31 and one aged 28, did not object to their continued detention until the rescheduled hearing.

The case centres on the fatal shooting of the 49-year-old businessman on October 17, 2025, in the Ayios Athanasios area of Limassol.

He was killed while seated in a vehicle driven by his 18-year-old son, in what investigators believe was a targeted attack involving multiple vehicles, including a van and a motorcycle.

The six defendants, aged between 28 and 51, face a series of serious charges including premeditated murder, arson of a vehicle, illegal possession of a firearm, and vehicle theft.

Central to the current procedural dispute is the position of one 28-year-old defendant, arrested alongside another suspect in Thessaloniki under a European arrest warrant.

His lawyer has formally challenged his continued detention, arguing before the court that “there is no testimony against him” and that the prosecution’s case relies on circumstantial evidence, including closed-circuit footage placing him in the wider area.

The defence further argued that “the possibility of conviction is remote”, emphasising the accused’s personal circumstances and ties to Cyprus, which they say eliminate any risk of flight.

Reference was also made to his travel to Greece, which the lawyer described as work-related, adding that he was accompanied by his four-year-old child at the time.

The court reserved its decision on this application, stating it will issue its ruling on Thursday.

Another defendant, aged 51, remains at liberty under restrictive conditions after genetic material linked him to a stolen vehicle believed to have been used to monitor the victim prior to the attack.

According to the prosecution’s case, one of the 30-year-old defendants is alleged to have been involved in procuring the motorcycle used in the escape, while another, already serving a prison sentence in an unrelated case, is accused of directing aspects of the operation from prison.

A 31-year-old defendant is likewise alleged to have driven the vehicle from which the fatal shots were fired and to have arranged counterfeit registration plates.

Investigators believe the victim was shot from a moving vehicle travelling ahead of his son’s car.

Following the attack, the van used in the shooting was found burned, while the motorcycle was later discovered abandoned.

The victim’s son attempted to reach hospital but crashed on the motorway before flagging down another driver for assistance.

His father was later pronounced dead at Limassol general hospital.