The 51-year-old monk, who is accused of the attempted murder of a 53-year-old man, the 51-year-old monk accused of the attempted murder of a 53-year-old employee of the Holy Stavropegian Monastery of Saint Neophytos in Tala, Paphos,.
The court reserved its decision on the 51-year-old’s detention until August 18 at 9:00 a.m. Until then, the 51-year-old will remain in custody.
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During today’s proceedings, his attorney, Alexandros Alexandrou, who presented a series of arguments contending that his client should be released.
As Mr. Alexandrou stated, the likelihood of the 51-year-old being convicted is “virtually nonexistent,” and, according to him, there is no risk of him fleeing justice. He explained that the man is highly regarded by the people of the Paphos district.
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The defense attorney added that the 51-year-old is a Cypriot citizen and has been residing in Cyprus for the past 25 years. He is a monk at the Monastery of Saint Neophytos and, as his lawyer argued, has neither a motive nor any reason to leave Cyprus.
At the same time, he noted that the 51-year-old has “very strong ties” to Cyprus.
For her part, the spokesperson for the Prosecution requested that the 51-year-old be remanded in custody until his appearance before the Paphos Criminal Court.
The 51-year-old monk is under investigation for attempted murder, illegal possession and transportation of a weapon, and carrying a knife, against a 53-year-old employee of the Holy Stavropegian Monastery of Saint Neophytos in Tala, Paphos.
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According to the case history, as presented before the Court by the investigating magistrate, there is reasonable evidence and suspicion that the 51-year-old suspect is involved in the crimes under investigation.
For this reason, on August 7, at 1:30 p.m., he was arrested pursuant to a court warrant for the offenses under investigation and taken into custody.
As the investigating officer reported, on the same day, around 7:30 a.m., at the Holy Monastery of Saint Neophytos in Tala, the abbot of the monastery, Chorepiscopus Leontios of Chytra, went outside the 51-year-old’s cell so that the latter could hand him the key to the cell.
According to the evidence presented before the court, the 51-year-old had occupied two cells for about 4 to 5 years, following the death of his father. One of these cells had previously housed his father and was now occupied by him.
Along with the Abbot were other monks, a novice monk, and the 53-year-old, who is a technician specializing in locksmith work. His presence, according to what was stated in court, was deemed necessary so that, in the event the suspect did not hand over the key, he could proceed to change the lock.
The Abbot asked the 51-year-old to open the cell, which, according to the investigator in the case, he did.
After entering the cell, the abbot inspected it and, seeing the great disorder that prevailed, stated that workers would be sent to clean it up.
The 51-year-old, however, reportedly said that he would clear out his belongings himself, little by little, while closing the cell door.
The abbot then asked him to hand over the key. According to the investigator, the 51-year-old refused, and the abbot tried to take it from his hand.
The 51-year-old reportedly continued to refuse, resulting in the two men eventually grabbing each other’s arms.
Then, when the 53-year-old stepped in to separate them, the 51-year-old allegedly attacked him and struck him in the neck and on his right hand with a sharp object.
Subsequently, according to the evidence presented in court, the 27-year-old monk grabbed the suspect from behind, holding him with his hands, in order to prevent him from attacking again, as the suspect was in a state of agitation.
At that point, the 51-year-old allegedly injured the other complainant’s right hand with his left hand, using the blade of a paper cutter he was holding.
The 27-year-old monk continued to restrain the suspect but released him when he realized that the 53-year-old was bleeding from his neck due to the wound allegedly sustained during the attack.
The 53-year-old then went to the Emergency Department of Paphos General Hospital, where he was examined by the doctor on duty.
It was determined that he had lacerations to the left side of his neck and his right upper arm. His wounds were sutured, and he remained hospitalized.
Subsequently, police officers went to the scene to investigate and located the 51-year-old.
During his interrogation, the 51-year-old monk reportedly admitted to committing the offenses, stating that he acted out of a desire to clean out the cell by himself.
The case is now expected to be brought before the Paphos Criminal Court on October 7, and until the court issues its decision on August 18 at 9:00 a.m., the 51-year-old remains in custody.
Source: CNA
