Dhekelia suspect denies murder charge

THE 21-year-old man arrested in late August at the Dhekelia British bases for allegedly stabbing his mother to death, pleaded not guilty to premeditated murder.

British bases officials were quoted on Friday as saying the suspect, of Iraqi Kurdish origin, denied the charges of premeditated murder of his 46 year old mother on August 30 at the Victoria Coach Park refugee settlement where the suspect’s family and other refugee families are staying.

The presiding judge said the defence had until the end of the year to evaluate the witness material received from the prosecution.

Evidence will be presented to court on January 4 and the hearing will begin on February 15.

On the night of the incident, the suspect was seen by a witness crouched over the body of his mother who was reportedly on the ground bleeding on the front door steps of a nearby house.

When a neighbour rushed over, he reportedly said his mother had been bitten by a dog. Moments later, the 21-year-old fled the scene on foot and was arrested the next morning after a tip-off on his whereabouts.

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