Two Indians sentenced for assault and robbery

Nicosia criminal court on Thursday sentenced two Indian nationals to eight years and six years in prison for grievous bodily harm and armed robbery.

The sentences will run concurrently.

The guilty are Anil Kumar Mal, 33, and Balvinder Singh, aged 28. Both had come to Cyprus as students.

They were accused of physically assaulting, injuring and robbing 62-year-old John Munro Forbes, a UK national.

The incident occurred on July 14, 2017.

The Briton became acquainted with the pair between April and May 2017 when Forbes invited Mal to his home for an ayurvedic massage.

Although Forbes was not satisfied with the massage, he and Mal stayed in touch and Mal asked Forbes to help him find work, as he owed a great deal of money.

On July 14, Mal and Singh visited Forbes at his apartment. Mal told Forbes that he wanted to treat him to his birthday cake.

At the time Mal did not mention that he would be accompanied by another man.

The two suspects began attacking Forbes, after he had offered them drinks. One of the men repeatedly struck Forbes on the head with a hammer he had brought with him, concealed in a bag, while the other man held the victim down.

The violence began in the kitchen, but at some point Forbes ended up inside his bedroom. He managed to lock himself inside and call for help.

The two assailants then fled the scene, having stolen Forbes’ wallet containing €200 in cash, credit cards and his UK driver’s license.

Forbes sustained skull fractures and bruises, as a result of which he had to undergo surgery and stayed in hospital for one month.

Following their arrest, the two Indian men admitted to having assaulted Forbes. They claimed that they intended to rob him as they owed large amounts of money.

In its verdict, the court described the crimes as ‘particularly severe’.

It said the two defendants had planned the crime, adding that the victim was “fortunate to avoid suffering a worse fate, having locked himself in the bedroom”.

Life incarceration is the maximum sentence for both armed robbery and causing grievous bodily harm.

 

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