A MAN suspected of committing two burglaries at the Cyprus University campus was yesterday remanded by a Nicosia Court for six days.
Meanwhile the defence lawyer of the suspect, who is a Syrian asylum seeker, had questioned the arresting officer over the bruises on her client’s face and body.
Investigating officer Philipos Violentis had told the court that on June 2, 2006 a Greek student had called the police and informed them that somebody had broken into her room in the halls of residence and stole her £750 laptop, a purse containing £60 in cash and a credit card.
The following evening, another student from the same halls of residence had called the police and told them that somebody had climbed into her room through her balcony door and attempted to steal her laptop while she was sleeping.
After being awoken by the noise, she then saw the suspect trying to disconnect her laptop. The man suddenly dropped the laptop and ran away taking her handbag in the process which contained her mobile phone and her purse containing £78.
Police investigators got their first lead when a Pakistani man had gone to a computer store in Nicosia and asked to buy a battery for his laptop. The store assistant became suspicious and immediately informed Nicosia CID who came to the store and identified the laptop as the one which was stolen from the campus.
“Under questioning, the Pakistani man had told us that he had bought the laptop off the suspect for £150,” said Volentis.
“He added that he had given the suspect a down payment of £80 first because he needed to see if he could get a matching battery. Later that day, we brought in the suspect to Nicosia CID and the Pakistani man recognised him as the man who had sold him the laptop.”
The suspect had reportedly confessed to investigating officers that he was the one who had committed the two burglaries.
The defence lawyer then questioned Violentis asking him why there were bruises on the suspect – who bore red marks just above his left eye.
“I do not know,” replied Violentis “I only took over the investigation this morning but the suspect has not told me anything about being mishandled and has not even been asked to be taken to a doctor.”
Judge Nicos Yiapanas ordered that the suspect be kept in remand for six days in light of the preliminary police investigation.
