The Court of Appeal has upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by businessman Stavros Demosthenous, who was murdered in Limassol in October 2025, after finding that a mechanical defect in his Lamborghini had not been proven.
The case concerned a crash on 31 December 2008 involving a Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 Coupe. Demosthenous and his wife sought compensation for injuries and damage to the vehicle.
The 2008 crash
According to the facts of the case, Demosthenous was driving with his wife as a passenger when he lost control of the vehicle. The car left the road, struck a pavement and then the boundary wall of a residence, where it came to a stop before being destroyed by fire.
The couple filed their lawsuit in 2009, claiming the crash had been caused by a mechanical failure, specifically a malfunction involving the rear-right wheel or axle. Alternatively, they argued that the fuel tank was defective.
They alleged that Unicars Ltd, as the authorised dealership and maintenance provider in Cyprus, and Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A., as the vehicle’s manufacturer, were responsible.
Mechanical defect not proven
The Court of Appeal said the central issue was whether the claim that a mechanical failure had caused the crash had been established.
Without proof of that claim, the court said, the appellants’ entire version of events was fundamentally undermined.
It agreed with the first-instance court that the plaintiffs had failed to present sufficient and appropriate technical evidence. Their expert witness was found not to possess the necessary expertise to give an opinion on the disputed mechanical issues, while his conclusions were not supported by objective technical findings.
By contrast, the court accepted evidence from mechanical engineers called by the defendants. They found no mechanical failure involving the rear-right half-shaft or any other critical component that could be causally linked to the crash.
Fire broke out after impact
The Court of Appeal also rejected the argument that the fire had caused Demosthenous to lose control of the vehicle.
It found that the fire began after the collision, when the fuel tank was damaged.
As no mechanical defect had been established as the cause of the crash, the court said it was unnecessary to consider whether the dealership or manufacturer had acted negligently.
Proceedings continued after his death
Demosthenous died while the appeal was pending. The Court of Appeal authorised the administrator of his estate to continue the proceedings and amended the title of the case accordingly.
Demosthenous was murdered in Limassol on 17 October 2025. Six people have been charged in connection with the killing and have pleaded not guilty. The criminal proceedings remain pending before the Limassol Permanent Assize Court.
The appeal was dismissed and the original judgment upheld. The court also awarded €5,000 in legal costs to each of the two respondent companies, plus VAT.
Source: CNA.
