Gun suspect disappears after court release

POLICE are looking for a 39-year-old suspect who has disappeared after a Nicosia district court released him on the grounds that there was not enough evidence to remand him in custody.

The suspect, who was arrested on Wednesday for the illegal possession of weapons, has disappeared into thin air since he was released.

Hours after his release, police issued a second arrest warrant, but could not find him in Nicosia, where he lives, or in Ayia Napa, where he is originally from.

It is unlikely the suspect has fled the country, reports said.

The court decision was appealed by police and yesterday CID officers received the minutes of the hearing, which they sent on to the Attorney-general’s office.

Reports said police believe the suspect had planned to kill someone and are investigating who the likely victim was and the motive. Ballistics experts are currently going over the weapons cache to find traces of DNA and/or fingerprints.