SIGMA shareholder Rea Andronikou yesterday denied being the moral instigator behind the murder of media owner Andis Hadjicostis at the ongoing trial.
Under cross-examination, Andronikou, a witness for the state prosecution, was badgered by the defence regarding the nature of her ties to two of the persons standing trial for murder – television presenter Elena Skordelli and Skordelli’s brother Tasos Krasopoulis.
Earlier, Andronikou, whose family held 17 per cent of shares in Sigma, told the court that Skordelli was sounding out Sigma stockholders with a view to gradually amassing a controlling stake in the channel.
The defence, in turn, has accused Andronikou of guiding Skordelli and her brother into buying one fifth of the television channel’s shares.
Andronikou previously told the court that Skordelli had offered to give a letter from her husband to AKEL MP Nicos Katsourides, in which Mr Andronikou said he was unfairly jailed for political reasons.
She also said she met Katsourides at Tasos Krasopoulis’ office in Tamasiana restaurant, after being invited by the accused, who informed her that the MP was going there for coffee.
The witness said she and her husband had a disagreement with Costas Hadjicostis in 2000 when the latter asked to buy shares in their company at a reduced price and was told no.
In the Nicosia Criminal Court yesterday, the defence put it to Andronikou that she was moving behind the scenes “like a conspirator” and that in truth she and her husband were the moral instigators behind the murder.
Reacting, the witness dared the defence lawyer to repeat his allegations outside the courtroom, and “see what a lawsuit I’ll slap you with.”
The defence insisted that Andronikou had elected to conceal her real involvement in the crime by pinning everything on a scapegoat – his client Skordelli.
“You were using Elena Skordelli and Tasos Krasopoulis as shields for your own actions,” the defence submitted.
Andronikou denied having been friends with Skordelli, saying the two were merely acquaintances, and that it was Skordelli who had sought her out and not the other way around.
The witness said her family’s acquisition of shares in Sigma dates back to the establishment of the channel. Despite it being an investment, Andronikou added, she and her husband knew that they were not entitled to dividend payouts.
According to the witness, it was Skordelli who was unaware that Sigma did not pay out dividends to shareholders.
Also yesterday, the court rejected a request by the defence for full disclosure of Andronikou’s phone communications.
In making the request, the defence argued that Andronikou had herself offered to reveal her phone communications in her deposition to police.
The prosecution argued, however, that Andronikou’s offer concerned only her communications with defendant Skordelli.
Earlier, the court heard that Andronikou and Skordelli had spoken on the phone within hours of the murder.
Andis Hadjicostis was gunned down outside his home in January last year.
The trial continues.
