A THIRD suspect in the murder of media boss Andis Hadjicostis was yesterday charged in the Nicosia Assizes Court.
Andreas Gregoriou, who was being treated in Nicosia General Hospital with severe leg injuries after a December bomb explosion, was led to court in an ambulance and with a strong police entourage.
He is the third suspect to be charged, after siblings Elena Skordelli, 42, and 37-year-old Tasos Krasopoulis, pleaded not guilty to seven charges back in February, including that of premeditated murder, which carries a mandatory life sentence.
All three are suspected to be implicated in Hadjicostis’ murder in January.
TV presenter Skordelli and her brother, who have since been held in custody until their trial on June 7, were also present at yesterday’s hearing.
Gregoriou denied all charges, including conspiracy to commit murder and premeditated murder.
After hearing the state prosecutors and the three suspects’ defence lawyers, the Court ordered Gregoriou to be kept in custody at Nicosia Hospital, while his trial was scheduled for June 7.
State Prosecutor Elena Kleopa informed the judge that the three suspects stand accused of conspiring to murder Hadjicostis, specifically meeting to discuss the matter in Nicosia village Pera Orini at some point between December 1 and December 25 last year, along with Gregoris Xenofontos – who is thought to be in hiding abroad with his family – and Theophanous Hadjigeorgiou, who was acquitted of all charges and entered into a witness protection scheme after testifying against the others.
The trio is also charged with meeting between January 2 and January 11 to conspire over Hadjicostis’ murder, as well as committing premeditated murder.
The suspects’ defence lawyers said they would respond during the June hearing. Gregoriou’s representative, Michalis Pikis, informed the judge that he had sent numerous requests to the Attorney-general’s office requesting copies of the evidence being held, as it is of vast significance to his client’s case, however he has not yet received a response.
Kleopa admitted she had received the requests, which were several pages long and needed special examination. “They are being looked into and of course the defence will be given the evidence in time,” she pointed out.
Hadjicostis, CEO of the family-controlled DIAS media group and Sigma TV, was gunned down on the night of January 11 just outside his home in Engomi, Nicosia.
He was killed instantly by two shots – one to the chest and one to the back – most likely with a short-barrelled shotgun which has not yet been found.
The three accused were charged following the incriminating testimony of 30-year-old Hadjigeorgiou who identified Skordelli and her brother as the masterminds behind the hit.
