The four individuals arrested in connection with the planned murder of a former convict who resides in the Limassol district and had been sentenced to 20 years in prison for murder.
According to information reported by journalist Katerina Ioannou on the “Alpha Kalimera” program, the suspects allegedly had devised a well-organized plan to kill him. Specifically, they planned to place an explosive device in his car while he was inside the vehicle, with the intention of detonating it remotely.
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Information about the assassination plot reached the Directorate for Combating Organized Crime (DAOE), prompting authorities to take immediate action and launch a covert operation, successfully thwarting the criminal act at the last minute.
READ ALSO: Murder plot targeting a former convict unravels; a 32-year-old man is in police custody
Initially, three individuals were arrested in Nicosia, while last night the authorities also handcuffed a fourth man. The suspects are 32, 36, 48, and 70 years old. Authorities are still searching for two other individuals in connection with the same case, who, according to reports, are believed to be abroad.
The motive behind the plot is reportedly financial disputes and a settling of scores within the underworld. In fact, one of the four arrested is said to be a close relative of the person who was murdered by the former convict.
According to the same sources, it cannot be ruled out that the scope of the arrests may widen. These are individuals known to the authorities who have been implicated in serious cases.
READ ALSO: Former Convict Was the Target: How They Planned the Deadly Ambush; Three Others Sought
Background of the Conviction
The former convict had been sentenced in 2016 to 20 years in prison for the murder of Giotis Christodoulou, which took place in April of that same year at a nightclub in Larnaca.
According to the facts of the case, a verbal altercation between the two had taken place earlier at the nightclub, after which the perpetrator left in a fit of rage. Subsequently, the two men met again, and the perpetrator pulled out a pistol and fired repeatedly at Christodoulou before fleeing the scene.
SEE ALSO: Authorities Prevented a Murder: Three Suspects Arrested for Allegedly Planning a Serious Criminal Act
The perpetrator was later located in the Kato Pyrgos area of Tillyria and brought to justice. He was released on parole approximately two years ago, following a decision by the Parole Board, and settled in Limassol.
