No progress was made once again in the trial concerning the murder of Stavros Demosthenous, as the six defendants did not respond to the charges during yesterday’s proceedings.
Although they were scheduled to enter pleas to the 17 charges they face, their defence lawyers requested further clarification on the details of the indictment, stating that they could not respond under the current circumstances. The defence is seeking clarification on the role and involvement of each defendant in every charge, arguing that it is not possible for all six to be implicated in the same way across all counts.
Lawyers representing defendants three to six are expected to present arguments at a future hearing on this preliminary legal issue. From the current session, they stated before the court that “the role and involvement of each defendant must be specified for each charge.” In essence, their objection constitutes a request to amend the indictment.
“Refer to the evidence”
For its part, the prosecution, responding to a request pending from the previous hearing, addressed only the first charge, that of premeditated murder. It stated that “the unlawful act consists of the shooting of the victim,” clarifying that “the role of each defendant arises in detail and with clarity from the evidence,” which “the other side has had in its possession for quite some time.”
Regarding the evidence, the prosecution maintained that all available material held by police and the Attorney General’s Office has already been disclosed in full. Senior State Counsel Andreas Aristeidis also referred to case law indicating that investigations continue even after a case has been filed before the court.
In relation to the defence request for a summary report, it was clarified that the police have been asked to prepare a timeline. This document will not form part of the evidential material but will serve as a supporting tool to assist both the court and the parties in understanding the extensive case file.
The Limassol Criminal Court adjourned the case to 5 June to hear the preliminary objection regarding the indictment.
At the same time, the presiding judge was clear in her instructions to both the prosecution and the defence that from the next hearing onwards, proceedings will be scheduled daily and will move forward without delay, due to strict timelines. “Forget your diaries and be ready to be here every day from the next hearing,” she said, stressing that deadlines must be met.
The defendants remain in custody in the Central Prisons, with the exception of defendant three, who is free under conditions. Lawyers for defendants four and five indicated they will challenge their clients’ detention at the next hearing, stating that their objection will largely depend on the clarification they seek regarding the charges.
The murder of Stavros Demosthenous took place on 17 October 2025 near his home in the Sfalanjiotissa area. The investigation led to six arrests, including two individuals who had fled to Thessaloniki. The indictment is common to all defendants and includes 17 charges, among them premeditated murder.
