Key witness testifies in retrial of Giorgos Christodoulou-Zavrantonas regarding drug case

The retrial of Giorgos Christodoulou-Zavrantonas, accused of trafficking 15 kilograms of cocaine, continues at the Nicosia Criminal Court. The case stems from an incident in January 2019 in Lakatamia. A key prosecution witness, Giannis Andreou, known as 'Maronas', testified that his original 2019 confession, in which he claimed sole responsibility, was false. Andreou, who was initially sentenced to 16 years in prison, later gave a second statement naming Zavrantonas as the mastermind, subsequently joining a witness protection program and receiving a presidential pardon. Zavrantonas had been sentenced to 22 years in December 2022, but the Court of Appeal ordered a retrial in May due to issues regarding the composition of the initial court. During the recent cross-examination, the defense questioned the reliability of Andreou’s motives and referenced various figures, including the deputy police chief Panikos Stavrou and Yiannis Kalopsidiotis. The court is currently weighing these conflicting testimonies to reach a final verdict. High-security measures were implemented during the proceedings to protect the witness.