The Court has rejected an application seeking permission to challenge an arrest warrant issued in connection with a serious incident in Larnaca on July 31, 2026.
The applicant sought permission to file an application for a prerogative order of certiorari, effectively asking the Court to cancel the arrest warrant issued against him by the Larnaca District Court on August 1.
The warrant was issued as part of an investigation into a series of alleged offences, including leaving the scene of an accident without providing assistance, negligent and reckless acts, assaulting a police officer, wilfully obstructing an officer in the execution of his duties and assault causing actual bodily harm.
He is also being investigated for allegedly failing to comply with a police signal, driving without a licence, riding without a protective helmet and riding a motorcycle without a registration plate.
Police officer injured in incident
According to evidence presented before the Larnaca District Court, the incident occurred at around 7.35 pm on July 31, when two members of the Larnaca Traffic Police’s Z Team were carrying out traffic checks on Ankara Street.
The officers noticed two large-engine, dark-coloured scooters whose riders were not wearing helmets.
An officer signalled for both riders to stop, but neither complied. One rider reportedly mounted the pavement and left the area.
The rider of the second motorcycle, who was identified in the evidence as the applicant, allegedly accelerated suddenly and manoeuvred past vehicles on their left.
Despite further signals to stop, he allegedly continued and accelerated, eventually colliding head-on with one of the police officers.
The officer was unable to move out of the way and fell to the ground, while the motorcycle rider allegedly continued towards Piale Pasha Street without stopping.
The incident reportedly took place in front of a crowd.
The injured officer was taken by ambulance to the Accident and Emergency Department of Larnaca General Hospital, where he was found to have injuries to his wrist and left ankle.
Court upholds arrest warrant
Police subsequently searched for the suspect at his registered address but were unable to locate him. An arrest warrant was then sought, partly over concerns about possible interference with witnesses and the protection of potential evidence.
The lower court concluded that there were reasonable grounds to suspect the applicant’s involvement in the offences under investigation and that issuing the warrant was necessary, proportionate and appropriate in the circumstances.
The applicant’s side argued that the warrant had been issued beyond the jurisdiction of the lower court.
The defence also argued that the statement in the sworn affidavit that the motorcycle rider had been “identified as the suspect” was general and conclusory, without sufficient evidential basis to support the identification.
The Court rejected that argument.
It noted that, at the stage of issuing an arrest warrant, the case is not assessed according to the same standards used for the final evaluation of evidence at a criminal trial.
The key question is whether there is sufficient material to establish a reasonable suspicion that the person concerned was involved in the alleged offences.
Court finds sufficient evidence
The Court stressed that the threshold for establishing reasonable suspicion is limited and does not require a full assessment of the evidential value of the testimony at this stage.
After examining the circumstances, it found that the material presented to the lower court was sufficient to meet that threshold.
The Court also noted that the motorcycle rider was not wearing a helmet, allowing his features to be observed. It further took into account the close contact between the rider and the police officers during the incident and the fact that police had searched for the applicant at his registered address before seeking the warrant.
On that basis, the Court found that the identification of the suspect could not be regarded as merely vague or conclusory.
It concluded that the Larnaca District Court had reasonably connected the applicant to the alleged offences and that there was sufficient evidential material to justify the arrest warrant.
The application was therefore dismissed, with no order as to costs.
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