Two well-known businessmen, aged 47 and 43, who were arrested on Thursday evening, were brought before the Larnaca District Court on Friday morning in connection with alleged interference in a police investigation into the violent clash and gunfire outside the Larnaca District Administration (ADE) last Saturday.
The court issued four-day detention orders against both men to facilitate police investigations.
Their arrest followed a large-scale police operation. Three of their guards were also handcuffed, charged in writing and subsequently released, as they did not hold the required licence to work as private security guards. A test vehicle driven by one of the guards was seized for further examinations.
Alleged meeting with complainant
According to police allegations, the two businessmen are suspected of interfering with the investigation by meeting with one of the complainants, who operates a car rental business on Grigori Afxentiou Avenue. Around 20 individuals who had been involved in the bloody clash, during which shots were fired, had reportedly gone to that location.
The 47-year-old businessman was located and arrested at his company’s offices. During a search, police reportedly seized a large sum of money as well as a number of bank cheques. Three individuals aged 44, 50 and 38 were also arrested at the premises, allegedly acting as guards without the legally required licence.
The second businessman, aged 43, was arrested later the same day at his residence.
Police account of events
According to the police version, the two businessmen and the complainant met at a hotel in Oroklini, information which was passed on to the head of the Larnaca CID. The complainant later went to the police to provide a supplementary statement.
He confirmed that the meeting took place, stating that the two businessmen told him they were not behind the 48-year-old man who is already in custody in connection with the case and who remains hospitalised with serious head injuries. When asked whether he had been threatened during the meeting, the complainant replied in the negative.
In his supplementary statement, he also claimed that the threats and demands for money originated from a foreign national who is not currently in Cyprus.
Defence position
Lawyer Antonis Demetriou, representing the two businessmen, did not object to their detention. However, he told the court that his clients had met the complainant for a meal and urged police to investigate this version of events.
To date, a total of six individuals are being held under court detention orders in relation to last week’s violent incident in central Larnaca. These include five foreign nationals from Palestine and Jordan, as well as the 48-year-old Cypriot national of third-country origin.
Businessmen previously known to authorities
The two businessmen are known to security authorities. In July, an attempted murder was carried out against the 47-year-old near the Dromolaxia Industrial Area. While cycling, he was targeted by gunfire but was not injured. A young contract soldier of the National Guard is currently standing trial in connection with that attempted murder.
The 43-year-old businessman was targeted last August, when four vehicles belonging to his car rental business in the tourist area of Pyla were set on fire. During the same incident, an attempted murder was carried out against the company’s security guard. Five foreign nationals are currently standing trial in that case.
Separate police operation at Central Prisons
In a second major operation carried out on Thursday night, police arrested six individuals, including the 22-year-old contract soldier of the National Guard who is already standing trial for the attempted murder of the 47-year-old businessman.
Police conducted a raid at the Central Prisons and searched his cell in relation to a separate case involving participation in a criminal organisation. The young defendant is expected to appear in court at a later stage both for the attempted murder case and for the criminal organisation charges.
At the same time, Larnaca police arrested five additional individuals aged between 22 and 42, some of whom had previously come to the attention of security authorities. These arrests are not linked to the violent clash in central Larnaca but concern the commission of other serious offences.