Syrian man in serious condition after shooting

TWO NICOSIA district men were yesterday remanded in custody for eight days on suspicion of attempted murder.
The men, aged 53 and 34, are suspected of trying to kill a 24-year-old Syrian man who had allegedly been harassing the 53-year-old’s Vietnamese housemaid by telephone. The victim was beaten and shot in the leg and is currently in hospital in a serious condition, the court heard.
The incident took place at 10pm on Monday in Paliometocho village outside the Karapateas reception hall.
Nicosia CID officer Ioannis Azas told the court that the victim, Arar Zohair, went to the Karapatea restaurant when he ran into the 53-year-old, who is also the owner, the 34-year-old and a third man.
According to reports, the moment the 53-year-old spotted Zohair, he attacked him, threw him to the ground and beat him all over his body. As the Syrian tried to flee, the 34-year-old also pounced on him.
The victim then somehow managed to scramble up and get away from his assailants but the 34-year-old pulled a gun and fired one shot into the air and then fired at the Syrian, hitting him in the right leg. The third suspect, who police have yet to track down, was apparently holding an iron bar at the time.
“The Syrian dropped to the ground and started calling for help while the two suspects and the third individual ran off,” Azas said.
An ambulance was called to the scene and rushed the victim to hospital where he was diagnosed with a gunshot wound to his right calf and submitted for emergency surgery. His condition is deemed as serious, said Azas.
The 53-year-old also turned up at the hospital’s Accident and Emergency department displaying redness on various parts of his body.
According to witnesses, the man who shot the Syrian was identified as the 34-year-old. The court heard he is the owner of an earthwork construction company next to the Karapatea restaurant.
Both suspects were arrested during the early hours of yesterday and a search of their homes found nothing incriminating.
The 34-year-old, a ruddy-faced and bearded man, has already denied any involvement in the case and told police at the time he was nowhere near the scene. Meanwhile, the grey-haired 53-year-old suspect said he and the Syrian had personal differences over his Vietnamese housemaid and said at the time the incident occurred, he had been speaking to the 34-year-old, whom he had asked to meet him outside the reception hall. It is unclear who brought a gun or why.
Police said that over the next few days, they would be talking to other witnesses and efforts would be made to locate the missing gun as well as the third man reported at the scene.
“A statement will also be taken from the complainant but due to the his condition this has not yet been possible,” Azas said.
Neither suspect’s defence lawyers objected to the remand.
Both men stood apart throughout the procedure with their arms crossed in front of them. The 53-year-old looked grim, his lips in a tight, thin line while the 34-year-old looked thunderous.