A PROSECUTION witness in the trial for the murder of media boss Andis Hadjicostis yesterday identified two people implicated in the case in security footage recorded shortly before the January 2010 murder.
Costas Proestou recognised defendant Gregoris Xenofontos – the alleged shooter – meet prosecution witness Fanos Hadjigeorgiou at 7.30 pm near the entrance of the apartment building where Hadjigeorgiou lived.
Hadjicostis was gunned down shortly afterwards outside his Engomi home.
The defence had tried to throw the footage out, suggesting that Xenofontos had been recorded illegally.
Defence attorney Robertos Vrahimis yesterday submitted questions in writing asking whether his client’s right to privacy had been violated.
Vrahimis said the footage had been taken without his client knowing and without his consent.
He also argued that the system has been installed to protect a resident of the bloc from a possible criminal act, unbeknown to the personal data protection commissioner and without any warning signs of its presence.
Vrahimis asked whether someone could monitor and record activity in a public street outside their house by citing personal safety and protection of their property.
Yesterday, the court said the defence’s questions were not of a purely legal nature and did not have to be resolved at present as they did not hinder or affect proceedings in any way.
Prosecution witness Hadjigeorgiou was allegedly the driver of a motorcycle used by the perpetrators of the January 11 murder to flee the scene.
He was put in witness protection and had all charges dropped after he agreed to testify against Xenofontos and three other defendants in the case: TV presenter Elena Skordelli and her brother Tasos Krasopoulis, who are alleged to be the masterminds behind the crime, along with Andreas Gregoriou.
Krasopoulis defence layer Marios Georgiou asked Proestou why he had lied in his first statement to police that his motorcycle helmet – whose visor was found near the scene –had been stolen.
Proestou had lent his helmet to Hadjigeorgiou who was his friend.
Proestou said he was afraid that his life would be in danger after hearing Hadjigeorgiou and Xenofontos saying that they had committed murder.
“I was afraid for my life. I was afraid of Fanos and Glioris (Gregoris). If I said I gave my helmet to Fanos I was afraid they would kill me too,” Proestou told the court.
In a previous hearing, Proestou told the court that after the murder he picked up Hadjigeorgiou and Xenofontos from Peristerona and drove them to Nicosia.
“At one point, I heard Fanos say to Gregoris: ‘Calm down and we will get a lot of money and won’t have to work again’. Gregoris replied: ‘Do you realise what I’ve done? I have committed murder’.”
