The Paphos District Court today ordered the remand in custody of a 51-year-old monk until 7 October, when he will appear before the Paphos Assize Court, on charges of attempted murder against a 53-year-old employee of the Holy Stavropegic Monastery of Ayios Neophytos in Tala, Paphos, as well as illegal possession and carrying of an offensive weapon and carrying a knife.
The court reserved its ruling on the custody question for today, 18 August, at 9am. Announcing its decision, the court said that, given the seriousness of the offence the man faces, and although he has some ties to the Republic of Cyprus, those ties are not strong enough to rule out the risk that he might flee. The 51-year-old has been committed to the Paphos Assize Court, which will sit on 7 October.
Defence and prosecution positions
His lawyer, Alexandros Alexandrou, objected to the man's detention, arguing that the likelihood of conviction was "almost non-existent" and that there was no risk of flight. He described his client as a figure held in particular esteem within the Paphos district, noting that the man is a Cypriot citizen who has lived in Cyprus for the past 25 years. As a monk based at the Monastery of Ayios Neophytos, Alexandrou argued, he had no motive or reason to leave Cyprus, adding that his client had "very strong ties" to the country. The representative of the prosecuting authority, for her part, requested the man's detention until his appearance before the Assize Court, citing the seriousness of the offence.
What the court heard
According to the case history presented to the court by the investigating officer, there is reasonable testimony and suspicion that the 51-year-old suspect is implicated in the offences under investigation. He was arrested under a court warrant on 7 August at 1.30pm and placed in custody. The investigator told the court that, the same day at around 7.30am, the abbot of the monastery, Chorepiscopos Leontios of Kythrea, went to the suspect's cell intending for the man to hand over his key. The 51-year-old had held two cells at the monastery for around four to five years, since his father's death, one of which had previously housed his father and was now his own residence.
Present alongside the abbot were other monks, a novice monk, and the 53-year-old, a technician who works with lock installations, whose presence was considered necessary in case the lock needed changing should the suspect not hand over the key. According to the investigator, the abbot asked the 51-year-old to open the cell, which he did. On entering and finding it in significant disarray, the abbot said workers would be sent to clean it. The 51-year-old is said to have replied that he would empty his belongings himself, gradually, while closing the cell door. When the abbot then asked for the key, the man is said to have refused, and the abbot attempted to take it from his hand. The 51-year-old allegedly continued to refuse, and at one point the two men were holding each other's hands. When the 53-year-old stepped in to separate them, the 51-year-old is alleged to have attacked him, striking him on the neck and right hand with a sharp object.
A 27-year-old monk then grabbed the suspect from behind to prevent a further attack, given the tension of the situation, according to evidence presented to the court. The 51-year-old is alleged to have then used a box cutter blade in his left hand to injure the other complainant's right hand. The 27-year-old monk continued restraining the suspect until he realised the 53-year-old was bleeding from the neck, at which point he let go.
The 53-year-old was taken to the accident and emergency department of Paphos General Hospital, where the doctor on duty found a laceration to the left side of the neck and to the right upper limb. His wounds were sutured and he remained hospitalised. Police officers subsequently went to the scene to carry out examinations and located the 51-year-old. During questioning, the monk is reported to have admitted committing the offences, stating that he had reacted because he wanted to empty the cell himself. The case is now expected to go before the Paphos Assize Court on 7 October.
