Limassol court sentences 30-year-old in Demosthenous murder-linked theft case

The Limassol Criminal Court has sentenced a 30-year-old man to 18 months in prison for the theft of a priest’s vehicle, which was linked to the planning of the murder of businessman Stavros Demosthenous. The defendant, who was initially a suspect in the murder case, was cleared of 15 other charges after agreeing to a plea deal concerning the vehicle theft. The court reached a unanimous decision, taking into account his remorse, his prior record of three similar offenses, and a pending case regarding the possession of a mobile phone while in custody.

The theft occurred on October 5, 2025, when the defendant paid an accomplice €300 to steal a Mitsubishi Colt belonging to a priest. The vehicle was found on October 14—three days before the October 17 murder—bearing false license plates and containing flammable materials. The accomplice who performed the theft is expected to serve as a prosecution witness in the ongoing murder trial. The 18-month sentence considers the time the defendant has already spent in custody since October 19, 2025.