Taxi driver held after stabbing

By Martin Hellicar

A TAXI driver has been remanded in custody for four days on suspicion of knifing another man outside a Larnaca taverna in the early hours yesterday.

Larnaca District Court heard that 47-year-old Vasilios Stamatiou, a Greek national living in Larnaca with his Cypriot wife, seriously injured 40-year- old Georgios Kyriacou Kkatsiou, known as Mantis, from Larnaca.

The court heard that Stamatiou and Mantis got into an argument at a tavern in the early hours and had to be pulled apart by other customers. The two men left that taverna but ran into each other again later outside another restaurant, the court heard.

Investigating officer Theodoros Sergiou said Mantis had a blazing row with his girlfriend at the second taverna and began hitting her. Other customers intervened and Mantis stormed out of the establishment only to run into Stamatiou outside, Sergiou stated.

Mantis then allegedly assaulted Stamatiou, kicking and punching him. Stamatiou managed to get away and went to his cab where he picked up a diving knife and, returning to the scene, stabbed Mantis in the stomach, Sergiou said.

The knife attack was apparently witnessed by a number of bystanders.

Mantis was rushed to Larnaca hospital where he had to undergo emergency surgery. He was in a stable condition yesterday evening.

Stamatiou was arrested just after 7am.

Sergiou told the court Mantis’s behaviour had been “highly provocative” towards Stamatiou and a warrant for his arrest had been issued.

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