Lawyer Savvas Matsas involved in the private criminal proceedings brought by the family of Thanasis Nicolaou reported on Friday that he had received threats to his life, including a warning that he could become the target of a criminal act. The warning, detailed in a police briefing presented in court, did not specify whether the threat was related to the Nicolaou case.
The disclosure came during pre-trial hearings at the Limassol District Court concerning five defendants accused in connection with the Nicolaou case. The hearings, which resumed on 13 March, are scheduled to continue on 19 March.
Matsas was one of the investigators on the case, who described Nicolaou's death as a murder coverup, part of an ongoing conspiracy.
He had previously announced he was withdrawing as legal representative of the Nikolaou family in order to testify as a witness. The court requested he explain a second reason for his withdrawal before stepping down.
Defence lawyers accuse Matsas of lying
Matsas presented the police briefing outlining the potential threat to his life. Defence lawyers immediately challenged the claim, asserting that Matsas had fabricated the threat and that it stemmed from a complaint he made about an online post by a relative of one of the defendants. The defence raised concerns of an “attempt to mislead the court” and suggested the matter could amount to contempt of court.
Separately, the Nicolaou family’s new lawyer, Christos Clerides, argued that the defendants should first be formally charged and given the opportunity to respond before pre-trial objections are considered. He also indicated his intention to introduce additional witnesses and address the case substantively.
The court insisted that the proceedings continue without further delay and instructed the defence to present arguments on pre-trial issues, including concerns over fair trial rights, nondisclosure of witness material, and the filing of the indictment by Matsas, who previously acted as an independent criminal investigator in the case.