THREE people were remanded for eight days at Larnaca district court on Friday suspected of trying to avert the course of justice and influence a witness in connection to the murder in Pyla two weeks ago of 40-year-old Giorgos Georgiou, also known as Chiquito.
One of the suspects, a 57-year-old man from Russia, reportedly told the arresting officers he worked for the KGB secret service and trained snipers. He is wanted in Russia for fraud related offences, according to state radio.
Another suspect, aged 52, is also from Russia and the third suspect, a 30-year-old man, is Greek Pontian, police said.
Another two men, siblings aged 43 and 45 also Greek Pontian, are being sought by police for the March 1 murder.
The suspects were arrested after Georgiou’s bodyguard headed to police on March 9 to report the 52-year-old suspect along with the 30-year-old. He said they approached him several times to persuade him not to testify in two ongoing court cases, one at Larnaca court and the other in Nicosia.
The 30-year-old suspect introduced himself as a person who monitors all Pontiacs in Cyprus saying he had been approached by people who informed him the bodyguard’s life was in danger and he should accept an amount of cash and leave the country.
The bodyguard was shown a bag containing €500 notes and was told the money was his if he agreed not to testify. He was threatened he would be next to be killed if he did not abide with their plan.
Telling the suspects he conceded and would go home to pack his bags, he rushed to police where he reported the men.
On Thursday, the 52-year-old was arrested at Larnaca airport where he was trying to depart to Russia. The 30-year-old was arrested in his home.
Initially, no arrest warrant had been issued for the 57-year-old, however he was at the wrong place at the wrong time. Officers had arrived at the home of the 30-year-old but found the Russian man there with a bag containing knives and guns – three 14cm blade knives, shotgun cartridges in a makeshift container and ten shotgun cartridges that had the pellets replaced with marbles.
It also contained documents, USB memory sticks, a 35-cm long makeshift device with a blade taped to the end and an ID with a photograph of the 52-year-old suspect wearing military uniform.
He was arrested on the spot for illegally possessing a gun and class IV ammunition. He admitted they were his.
