The suspended mayor is expected to appear in court at around 09:30 this morning. During today’s hearing, the charges are expected to be formally filed, and the accused will be asked to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty.
According to information, before this stage is reached, the Prosecution is expected to submit a request for the trial to be conducted behind closed doors.
It is noted that during the previous court session, when the accused was referred directly for trial before the Criminal Court, the representative of the Prosecution, Eirini Savva, submitted a similar request, citing the need to protect the privacy of the alleged victim.
As stated, the request is based on legal provisions relating to the protection of victims and witnesses, particularly in cases involving violence against women. It was emphasised that the offence of rape falls within this category and requires heightened protective measures.
The defence lawyers of the suspended mayor, Christos Pourgourides and Epaminondas Korakidis, are expected to raise an objection to the request for closed‑door proceedings, as they had indicated in the previous hearing.
The suspended mayor has signed a personal guarantee of €100,000 as a condition for his appearance before the Criminal Court. According to the charge sheet, he faces four serious charges, including rape, indecent assault, administering a substance to commit an offence, and assault causing actual bodily harm.
The case was investigated by a specialised unit of Police Headquarters following a complaint by a businessman and the alleged victim.
