A major development unfolded during Thursday’s court proceedings in the private criminal prosecutions brought by the family of Thanasis Nikolaou against five defendants. The family’s lawyer, Savvas Matsas, informed the court he would step down from the case to testify, prompting the court to adjourn the hearing to 13 March.
Lawyers and witnesses appear in court
Forensic pathologist Panikos Stavrianos, former Limassol Police Director Andreas Iatropoulos, former head of the Limassol CID Nikos Sofokleous, former rural police head Christakis Nathanael, and former Lania police station chief Christakis Kapiliotis appeared before the Limassol District Court, with Kapiliotis representing himself. The hearing was scheduled to address pre-trial objections from the defence lawyers and Kapiliotis, including concerns that Matsas could not act as prosecutor due to his prior role as an independent criminal investigator in the Nikolaou case.
Matsas steps down to testify
Matsas announced he would step down, with the case now taken over by the law firm of Christos Kliridis. He will testify for two reasons: first, because the second criminal investigator, Antonis Alexopoulos, does not wish to testify while being a judicial candidate at the Naval Court; second, for reasons he chose not to disclose at present.
Court grants adjournment
Following the announcement, Alexandros Kliridis requested a new adjournment. Defence lawyers objected, noting they were ready to present pre-trial objections, which they said remained unaffected by Matsas’s withdrawal. Defence also pointed out that the electronically provided evidence included roughly 1,200 pages, not the 5,000–6,000 pages previously cited by Matsas, and requested full access to the complete documentation.
After a brief recess, the court adjourned proceedings to 13 March, ordering all evidence and witness lists be provided to the defence by 9 March. The judge emphasised that no further adjournments would be granted and that parties must be ready to present pre-trial objections and establish the framework of admissible facts.
Family expresses outrage
In a public outburst, Nikolaou’s mother condemned institutional neglect, 20 years after her son’s death. She accused state authorities of indifference, cover-ups, and failing to uphold justice. She criticised the Law Office’s credibility, claiming the state sided with those responsible rather than the victims.
She highlighted that the case was initially treated as suicide, despite evidence indicating murder, and noted that after exhumation and forensic confirmation of the cause of death, an individual allegedly involved in the cover-up sought protection, leaving questions unresolved.
Calling into question trust in institutions, she asked: “If there had been a proper, independent, and just Law Office, shouldn’t it have investigated everything and initiated prosecutions itself? Instead, it sided with the perpetrators. Who can trust such institutions now?”
Also read: Mother releases reports in Thanasis Nikolaou case
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