A 69-year-old man convicted of starting the deadly Arakapas wildfire in July 2021 has been acquitted after the Court of Appeal overturned the original verdict against him.
The man had been found guilty by the Limassol Assize Court, which accepted that on 3 July 2021 he had started a fire next to his orchard using a lighter because he was bothered by reeds growing in the area.
Original conviction overturned on appeal
During the original trial, particular attention was drawn to the fact that while the Arakapas wildfire was raging and flames had surrounded the village, the 69-year-old travelled to neighbouring Eptagonia, where he sat at a coffee shop for a coffee.
The Court of Appeal, however, overturned the conviction after finding that the evidence presented was insufficient to establish his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
According to the ruling, the existing evidence and findings of the trial court could only support the possibility that he had been involved.
“There is therefore an underlying doubt, as a result of which he should have been acquitted,” the judgment said.
Man had already served three years in prison
The 69-year-old had denied the charges against him from the outset.
He was originally sentenced to eight years in prison by the Limassol Assize Court and had already served three years of that sentence before being acquitted.
The Arakapas wildfire, which broke out in July 2021, was deadly.
Also read: Limassol: Young swimmers nearly drown while retrieving ball
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