Murder suspect may be ‘traded’,

A SUSPECT in the September murder at İskele of Turkish Cypriot artist and teacher Hasan Işık Özgöçmen could be exchanged for four Georgians being held in the TRNC as suspects in the South Cyprus murder of Greek Cypriot Ernesto Leonides — but time is running out.

Pakistani murder suspect Mohammad Salman fled to Limassol where he was arrested, taken to court and held in custody on charges of illegal entry but his remand was due to expire on Thursday.

However, the Limassol court ruled that day that his case be adjourned until Tuesday, buying more time for a solution.

The deal was suggested by the Turkish Cypriot representative on the Bicommunal Technical Committee on Crime and Criminal Matters, Hakkı Celal Önen, but no response has yet been received from South Cyprus authorities.

Mr Önen renewed his application for an exchange of prisoners after he was informed that Salman’s remand period would expire on Thursday.

The four Georgians, named in August as Alexis Moisides, 30, Jan Ponizil, 29, George Otzisvili, 25, and Pavlos Akritides, 27, were arrested at Tatlısu’s Sea Terra Bay complex with illegal explosives and guns that month and were remanded for three months after appearing in court on October 11.

Mr Önen said that as a legal expert he was greatly saddened by the current state of affairs which had “caused grief” to many families and had led to suspects being released in the George Low murder case.

The Low family attended a South Cyprus inquest last week into the British tourist’s Ayia Napa murder in 2016, but the hearing was adjourned due to lack of evidence or suspects.

Mr Önen said: “At the very least, we should be cooperating in murder and rape cases but we are still hopeful that an impending decision from the European Court of Human Rights in the Grand Chamber appeal [in the Güzelyurtlu case] will give guidelines on cross-border justice.”

Turkish Cypriot Elmas Güzelyurtlu, his wife Zerrin and daughter Eylül were found shot dead in their car on the Larnaca motorway in January 2005 but the suspects fled to the TRNC where two were later murdered. No trial was held due to a North-South dispute over jurisdiction and evidence.