Simon Mistriel Aykut, a 75-year-old Turkish-Israeli property developer accused in one of the most serious cases of Greek Cypriot land usurpation in the occupied areas, made a dramatic U-turn on Monday by changing his plea. Appearing before the Nicosia Assize Court, Aykut abandoned his previous hardline defence and chose to admit guilt to 40 of the 242 charges he faced.
The prosecution, led by Senior Counsel for the Republic Andreas Aristides, agreed to suspend the remaining charges. Following this unexpected development, the hearing concluded and the court set October 24 as the date for sentencing.
All 40 charges relate to Article 303A of the Penal Code, which states that “any person who, with intent to defraud, deals in immovable property belonging to another commits a felony and is liable to imprisonment for up to seven years.”
The plea agreement followed consultations between Aykut’s legal team, Maria Neophytou and Nikoleta Charalambidou, and the prosecution. Both sides informed the court that an admission would be made and submitted a jointly prepared statement of facts, while the defense also filed written arguments seeking mitigation of sentence.
Asked to comment later in the day, President Nikos Christodoulides said "I do not interfere in matters of the judicial authority, I want to make that clear. Beyond that, the admission also proves the correctness of our policy. A policy that has been criticized not only by the occupying regime but also by some within the country. I repeat, his admission proves the correctness of the government's policy, a policy that should have been followed many years ago."
€40 million in illegal developments
According to the case facts, Aykut, who holds Israeli, Portuguese, and Turkish citizenship, was active in land development, construction, and property sales in the occupied areas. He participated in the so-called “Afik Group,” which, through a sham company “registered” with the authorities of the unrecognized entity, carried out developments between 2014 and 2024 on land belonging to displaced Greek Cypriot owners without their consent.
The illegally developed plots, valued at around €40 million and covering approximately 400,000 square meters, include tourist complexes such as Caesar Cliff, Caesar Resort, Caesar Beach, Caesar Bay, Caesar Breeze, and Caesar Blue. These were built in the occupied villages of Agios Amvrosios (Kyrenia), Trikomo, Gastria, and Akanthou (Famagusta).
In custody since June 7, 2024
Aykut was arrested on June 7, 2024, while attempting to cross from the north through the Dherynia checkpoint. An arrest warrant had been issued the previous day, and he has since been held in pretrial detention at the Central Prisons.
Initially, he pleaded not guilty to all 242 charges, including 60 for fraudulent dealings in immovable property, 60 for unlawful possession and use of land, 62 for money laundering, and 60 for conspiracy to commit a felony.
“He did it for his son”
In her mitigation plea, defence counsel argued that Aykut’s mistake was helping his son, Yaakov, who had the idea to create the company “Afik” in the occupied areas. The company was registered in Aykut’s name because he held a Turkish Cypriot ID.
“The defendant was only a director on paper,” the defence said. “He was not the mastermind, nor did he play any decision-making role. His duties were purely advisory.” The defence maintained that Aykut became a shareholder and director solely to assist his son and had no intent of personal enrichment.
“The love of a father for his son cannot be construed as criminal intent,” his lawyer said, adding that his age (75), clean record, remorse, and apology should be taken into account when sentencing, along with health issues.
Calm and resigned
Throughout the proceedings, Aykut appeared calm and fully aware of the gravity of his situation. Standing as the 40 charges were read out, he occasionally clasped his hands in prayer and at times appeared tearful but composed.
He now awaits his sentencing on October 24, when the court will determine the term of imprisonment to be served.