Court amends charges against developer of Greek Cypriot land in north
Source: Cyprus Mail
Nicosia Criminal Court approved on Wednesday an amended charge sheet, during the trial of Simon Aykut, the businessman accused of unlawfully exploiting Greek Cypriot properties in the north.
The approval followed a request by the prosecution service.
The defence raised no objection to the changes, which were presented alongside a list of 12 new witnesses the state intends to call. Defence lawyer Maria Neophytou also accepted this addition without dispute.
Out of a total of 242 charges originally filed against Aykut, details in 102 of them have now been revised. The amendments follow final valuation reports from Cyprus’ land registry, offering updated assessments of the market value of the disputed properties allegedly seized and developed by Aykut’s company.
Prosecutor Andreas Aristides explained that in most cases, the revised charges reflect increased valuations of the Greek Cypriot-owned land.
The properties in question, he said, were used for building luxury villas, residential complexes, and leisure centres, activities the prosecution argues were carried out without the legal owners’ consent.
Some property values were also adjusted downwards, while in a few cases, the names of the original owners were corrected, according to official records.
Neophytou requested more time to examine the new material, consult with her client, and advise him on how to respond to the updated charges.
Presiding judge Christinia Parpota adjourned the hearing and scheduled the next court session for May 3.
The original article: belongs to Cyprus Mail .
