The trial for the premeditated murder of 49-year-old businessman Stavros Demosthenous, which took place on October 17, 2025, begins today, Tuesday. Six individuals are in the dock: two 30-year-olds, one 31-year-old, one 51-year-old, and two 28-year-olds.
The defendants had first appeared before the Criminal Court on January 29, 2026. At that time, four of them were being tried under a separate indictment from the two 28-year-olds, who were later arrested in Thessaloniki by Greek authorities under a European arrest warrant.
Proceedings were temporarily suspended to allow the cases to be merged into a single indictment, and the criminal prosecution was formally paused. On the same day, the defendants were brought again before the District Court, which ruled that they should stand trial before the Criminal Court, with the hearing set to begin at around 9:00 today.
Demosthenous was well known in Limassol, having taken over the leadership of Aris Limassol in 2015 and later serving as president of Karmiotissa.
All six individuals face serious charges, including premeditated murder, conspiracy to commit a felony and murder, arson of a vehicle, illegal possession, transport and use of a firearm and explosives, as well as vehicle theft.
According to the evidence under investigation, one of the two 30-year-olds is allegedly involved in the purchase and sale of the motorcycle used for the perpetrators’ escape after the van used in the deadly ambush was set on fire.
The second 30-year-old, who is already serving a sentence for another case, is believed to have given instructions from prison for the purchase of the motorcycle. Meanwhile, the genetic material of the 51-year-old, who has been released under conditions, was found in a stolen vehicle used to monitor the victim.
As for the 31-year-old, he is alleged to have been the driver of the van from which the victim was shot. He was initially arrested for assisting after the murder, as he allegedly helped one of the two 28-year-olds escape through the occupied territories. He was later re-arrested on new charges, as he is believed to have ordered fake license plates for the stolen vehicle, while his DNA was found on a cap dropped by one of the perpetrators during their escape on the motorcycle.
Finally, one of the two 28-year-olds is believed to be the gunman, while the other is accused of helping the perpetrators escape by picking them up in an SUV after they abandoned the mo
Πηγή: Καθημερινή Κύπρου
