TV PRESENTER and murder suspect Elena Skordelli was in the spotlight yesterday, as a prosecution witness told of her “desperate plea” to become the majority shareholder in private television channel Sigma because she felt “persecuted” and “wronged” by her colleagues.
The revelations were made by George Foka – the manager of Yiannis Athienitis’ group of companies, Alfa-Sigma EMS Ltd – as the trial into the murder of Sigma boss Andis Hadjicostis continued.
According to Sigmalive.com, which gave a running commentary from the court, Foka said he had been informed by Yiannis Athienitis himself that, siblings Skordelli and Tasos Krasopoulis – two of the four on trial for premeditated murder and conspiracy to commit murder – had made a proposal to purchase shares for Sigma TV.
In the meeting that followed, said Foka, Skordelli asked to purchase a package of shares that would amount to 17 per cent – belonging to her friend Rea Andronicou. “I asked for some added information so I could assess the proposal,” said Foka. “From then on, my contacts with the third defendant – Elena Skordelli – became regular, as the proposal seemed interesting.”
It was during one of these meetings that Skordelli, 42, announced her intention to seek the majority of Sigma’s shares, according to the witness. “She complained that while she was working at the television channel Sigma, she had been persecuted,” said Foka. “She felt badly wronged and was trying to get some sort of majority shareholding package, as she said she loved her work a lot.”
The witness said Skordelli was trying to find shareholders who were willing to sell their shares and help her acquire over 50 per cent, so she could have an active say in decision making. “She felt wronged with the 22 per cent share she had.” Foka said the presenter had a list of shareholders interested in selling.
He added that Skordelli, as well as her friend Rea Andronicou, put pressure on him to answer her request before the end of 2009 as the defendant had taken out a large number of loans that needed to be settled.
He said Skordelli would call him every two days, sometimes crying, for a final response.
Skordelli had prepared a four-part draft agreement, said Foka, which included a provision that the major shareholder would be in charge of appointing Sigma’s managing director.
When Athienitis eventually contacted Skordelli to say he wouldn’t be able to buy out the shares, Foka said the presenter called him in tears, saying she owed a lot of money.
Foka said Skordelli had never expressed any intention of selling her own shares.
Earlier in the day, the Dias Media Group’s chief adviser, George Michail, told the court he had been in daily contact with the victim, who never once said he felt his life was at risk.
Hadjicostis was gunned down outside his home in Engomi in January 2010. He was killed instantly. Apart from Skordelli and Krasopoulis,37, Andreas Gregoriou and Gregoris Xenofontos, 29, also stand accused.
The third prosecution witness to testify yesterday was Constantia Michaelidou, an official at the Cyprus Radio-Television Authority, who referred to three requests submitted to the Authority by Skordelli and Krasopoulis They were applying to buy shares from three shareholders – two on behalf of Krasopoulis, one for a 13.7 per cent share in Sigma and another for 0.6 per cent stake, and another by Skordelli requesting to buy a 5.51 per cent share.
According to the witness, any request for over 5.0 per cent of shares demands a personal interview with the candidate buyers. Michaelidou said that in her interview, the presenter said the price of the shares was good and that she may possibly join the company’s board.
