Trial for the murder of Alexandros Antoniou in Paphos postponed to January

On October 13, 2026, the Paphos Criminal Court postponed the trial of a 58-year-old man accused of the premeditated murder of 26-year-old Alexandros Antoniou in Konia. The proceedings were adjourned to January 27, 2027, to allow the prosecution and the defense time to finalize and document the "admitted facts" of the case, which both parties hope will shorten the trial duration. The defendant remains in custody at the Central Prisons and was transported to the courtroom under heavy security.

During earlier proceedings on June 5, 2026, the defendant entered a plea of not guilty to the charge of premeditated murder, while admitting to the charge of carrying a knife. According to the prosecution, an orange pocket knife, which the accused admitted to carrying, was used in the fatal attack. The defense disputes the element of premeditation, arguing that the incident should be classified as manslaughter rather than premeditated murder. The prosecution maintains that the act was premeditated. The court session was attended by a large crowd of relatives, friends, and observers. The case will resume next year to begin the formal hearing process.