THE DEFENCE lawyer of a man accused of killing his son last week, yesterday told a Nicosia Court that the police had threatened and blackmailed his client into writing a confession.
A 50-year-old man was in court yesterday denying charges that he deliberately killed his son after State Prosecutor Margarita Avraamidou charged the defendant with committing a premeditated act that led to the death of the victim.
Christodoulos Charalambous tragically killed his 21-year-old son, Yiannakis, during a domestic brawl on July 21.
Avraamidou also told the court that during questioning, Charalambous had confessed to investigators that he had delivered the fateful blow that killed his son.
Appearing in court yesterday, after the case was sent to trial at the behest of Attorney-general Petros Clerides, Charalambous wore black clothes and did not speak. He looked tired and withdrawn as he occasionally looked around at the reporters present at the hearing.
The killing took place on Rodopis Street in the Nicosia suburb of Makedonitissa in the early hours of the day in question.
According to neighbours who witnessed the horrific scene, the fight began when Yiannakis returned from a night out and started shouting at some relatives, who also live on the same street as the victim and his parents.
The young man then allegedly picked up a piece of wood, went to his aunt’s house and began aggressively threatening his relatives while smashing various objects.
It was then that his father became involved. Confronting Christodoulos, witnesses said Yiannakis began beating his father with the piece of wood.
It was then that Christodoulos allegedly picked up a pick-axe, which had been lying on the side of the road, and hit his son with it, fatally injuring him.
Addressing the court yesterday, Charalambous defence lawyer Michalis Michael said, “Your honour, we are glad to be at this hearing today because we, as the defence, feel that our rights will be best protected in your good court”.
He continues, “On July 25, 2006, we sent a letter to the Chief of Police, which was also forwarded to the Justice Minister, the Permanent Secretary of the Justice Ministry and the Deputy Chief of Police, in which we condemn the handling of the case by the police investigators.
“The investigators had pressurised, threatened and systematically blackmailed my client into confessing that he killed his son. The investigators were also insulting towards our defence team.”
Michael continues his scathing attack on the police saying, “At one point during the questioning, investigators told the defendant that they would not allow him to go to his son’s funeral unless he confessed to the crime.”
He also accused police officers of deliberately leaking information to reporters of Antenna television station so as to sensationalise the events of what happened that day.
Hitting back at the accusations, the State Prosecutor said that the defence had failed to present any witnesses to support their accusations whilst saying that neither the defendant nor the lawyers were mistreated at any time.
Judge Nicos Yiapanas ruled that the trial begin on September 14 adding that the defendant remain in custody until his trial.
Michael did not object to the remand request from the prosecution.
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