A NICOSIA Court is set to decide today whether there is a case against a man accused of killing his wife and her lover in August last year.
Christoforos Charalambous, 27, denies two charges of premeditated murder against his wife Anna Vasileva, 30 from Kyrgyzstan, and her 45-year-old lover Yiannos Demosthenous.
Demosthenous’ decomposed body was found in his Nicosia apartment with 38 stab wounds.
Vasileva’s body was never officially identified, but charred skeletal remains and teeth were discovered in barrel outside the defendant’s home village of Askas.
Meanwhile, Charalambous was yesterday taken to hospital where he was treated for a broken hand.
According to police officers, the angry defendant rammed his fist into the prison cell wall at the Nicosia Court minutes before he was scheduled to sit in the dock.
The court yesterday heard the final summing up from the state prosecution before the judges decide on whether there is a prima facie case against Charalambous.
In most legal proceedings, one of the parties has the burden of proof, which requires that party to present prima facie evidence of all facts essential to its case. If that party, or in this case the state prosecution, fails to present prima facie evidence on any required element of its case, its claim may be dismissed without any response by the opposing party or in this case, the defendant’s defence lawyer.
Charalambous’ lawyer Stelios Cheimonas had previously told the court that all the evidence shows that his client is facing a trial of manslaughter and that the charge of premeditated murder should be downgraded.
Forensics have been unable to make a positive ID on the charred skeletal remains and teeth found in the barrel because they were so badly burnt.
Forensic investigators suspect Vasileva tried to stop Charalambous from stabbing Demosthenous in the frenzied attack.
They believe Charalambous then turned the knife on his wife and killed her before dragging her to his car, driving her to a remote location and setting her remains alight inside the barrel.
Police discovered pools of blood all over Demosthenous’ apartment and in the boot of Charalambous’ pick-up truck.
Upon his arrest, Charalambous had initially confessed to breaking into Demosthenous’ apartment and finding him in bed with his wife. It was then that he reportedly went into frenzy and stabbed them both.
He later retracted his confession in a second statement, saying he went to Demosthenous’ apartment and they both had an argument. He then claimed to have fought with Demosthenous, wrestled the knife out of his hands and stabbed him.
Despite leading officers to the remains, Charalambous maintains both he and his wife parted ways in Kyrenia following a row and that he has not seen her since.
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