court

Ukrainian laundering suspect to face trial on April 17

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Ukrainian laundering suspect to face trial on April 17

A Ukrainian woman was arrested in Cyprus for attempting to stage a theft of €420,000, which led to the discovery of a money laundering ring. She had made 20 trips to Cyprus, bringing in about €8 million over six months for property purchases. The 31-year-old will face trial on April 17 and remains in custody. She faces 60 charges related to money laundering and other offenses. Her activities included declaring large sums of money at customs and claiming to invest in property. Further investigations will involve Europol and Interpol, focusing on her financial activities in Cyprus.

Tatar moves to fire education chief

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Tatar moves to fire education chief

Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar filed a case to have Turgay Avci, the head of the higher education committee (Yodak), fired. Tatar received complaints regarding not firing Avci, who is a former ‘education minister’. The dismissal of Avci is contingent upon an evaluation by the ‘court’, according to the ‘law’ on higher education. This action follows allegations against Avci related to the Cyprus University of Health and Social Sciences in occupied Morphou. Avci, facing these allegations, gave a statement to the police and was hospitalized in northern Nicosia due to hand pain. He was taken to court over allegations of fraudulently obtaining 926,286TL (€27,451) through 19 invoices from six different companies.

Saint Habakkuk scandal: Bishop Isaias deposited enormous sum in bank

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Saint Habakkuk scandal: Bishop Isaias deposited enormous sum in bank

Developments on the alleged scandal at the Monastery of Saint Habakkuk corroborate claims regarding a safe containing hundreds of thousands of euros at the mountain church. The stash was deposited into an account under the name of the Tamassos and Orinis Bishopric. Initial estimates suggest €800,000 was in the safe, collected through contributions from the faithful. The discovery of the safe, properties in Piraeus and Limassol believed to be owned by two members of the monastery, and the investigation into whether these funds were derived from donations are at the heart of the scandal. Two monks allegedly implicated were also captured on camera engaging in sexual acts. The monastery’s website listed accounts for various activities asking for financial backing from believers. Leaks suggest monks funneled cash to the Bishop of Tamassos and Orinis, Isaias, with some insinuating involvement in financing Isaias’s pre-election campaign for the Archbishop’s throne. Isaias lodged a formal complaint with the police against the monks for financial irregularities. The Holy Synod decided to refer the case to a six-member Ecclesiastical Court, with deliberations on whether the implicated monks should face defrocking or an immediate trial.

State now free to act on monks, ’ sex scandal

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State now free to act on monks, ’ sex scandal

Police are investigating financial crimes at Osiou Avakoum monastery involving two monks who allegedly engaged in sexual activities and received thousands of euros in cash, claiming them to be donations. The incident led to an emergency Holy Synod meeting, resulting in the decision to send the two monks to ecclesiastical court. Bishop Isaias of Tamasos provided a statement to the police. The monks, who did not attend the emergency session, denied all charges through a letter, claiming they were pressured to admit to having sexual relations and fabricating miracles for €800,000. Their lawyers argued that the confessions were signed under duress and clarified that a sex scandal involved a third former cleric, not the two monks. The lawyers represent victims of the scandal involving the third cleric. The Holy Synod has urged the faithful to remain steadfast and encouraged public complaints about clerics to be brought forward.

President and AG clash over pardoning grandfather

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President and AG clash over pardoning grandfather

The attorney-general’s office is blocking President Nikos Christodoulides from pardoning an 82-year-old man who was sentenced to 2.5 years in jail for shooting an attempted cable thief. The incident occurred in the Limassol village of Alassa last June when the man, seeking to protect his property during a power outage, fired a shot that hit the thief in the back. The man had previously reported thefts to the police and lived in fear of thieves. His lawyer stated that he did not intend to kill the thief, who suffered no lasting health problems from the incident. The president’s desire to pardon the man is based on humanitarian reasons, but so far, the attorney-general’s agreement has not been secured.

Osaka, Raducanu and Wozniacki reach Indian Wells second round

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Osaka, Raducanu and Wozniacki reach Indian Wells second round

– Naomi Osaka, Emma Raducanu, and Caroline Wozniacki reached the second round of Indian Wells.
– Osaka returned to the tour in January after a maternity break.
– Osaka won against Sara Errani with scores of 6-3 6-1.
– Osaka received a wildcard to play at Indian Wells, an event she won in 2018.
– Raducanu defeated Rebeka Masarova with scores of 6-2 6-3.
– Raducanu has been playing in tournaments since returning to action in January after being sidelined for eight months due to wrist and ankle surgeries.
– Wozniacki won against Zhu Lin with scores of 7-6(6) 6-1, marking her first win in the California desert since 2019.
– Wozniacki returned to the tour last year after retiring in 2020 to start a family.
– Venus Williams lost to Nao Hibino with scores of 2-6 6-3 6-0 after leading.
– Williams had not played since the previous year’s U.S. Open.
– Danielle Collins is set to face Iga Swiatek in the second round after defeating Erika Andreeva with scores of 7-6(3) 7-6(6).
– Collins announced January of this year would be her last season on the WTA Tour.

Woman carrying €420,000 in handbag travelled twenty times to Cyprus transporting millions

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Woman carrying €420,000 in handbag travelled twenty times to Cyprus transporting millions

A 31-year-old woman is suspected of money laundering after traveling to Cyprus twenty times in eight months, transporting nearly eight million euros. She passed through Cypriot airports without issue, declaring the money as her own for real estate purchases. The case emerged when she reported a theft of €420,000 in Limassol. Investigations led to her arrest on money laundering suspicions. She frequently traveled from Poland to Athens to Cyprus, declaring over one million euros on multiple trips, including over two million euros within 20 days in February 2024.

Revocation of termination of tenancy

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Revocation of termination of tenancy

Every tenancy, either contractual or statutory, creates rights and obligations for both the landlord and the tenant based on their agreement, which can be oral or written. Possession of the property is a significant factor that can create or restrict rights or obligations and may release a tenant from obligations if they give up possession. If a tenant terminates the tenancy agreement but fails to give up possession, it raises the question of whether retention of possession negates the termination. The notice of termination is a unilateral act by the tenant that does not require the landlord’s consent. If the tenant delivers possession of the property, the tenancy is terminated and the tenant is released from obligations, except for any outstanding obligations like rent arrears or property restoration. Retaining possession negates the notice of termination and can be a reason for eviction. A judgment by the Rent Control Court on a case where a tenant sent a notice of termination but kept possession found that the tenant’s termination was not justified based on the tenancy agreement terms, and the tenant remained a contractual tenant until receiving a lawful notice of termination from the landlord. The landlord’s termination of the tenancy was deemed lawful. The court held that the tenant and his guarantor had to pay rent until possession was delivered to the landlord and restore the property to its initial condition.

Trump running rampant with nomination as he heads for Super Tuesday

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Trump running rampant with nomination as he heads for Super Tuesday

Donald Trump won the Republican caucuses in Michigan, Missouri, and Idaho, significantly leading over Nikki Haley, his last remaining rival for the Republican presidential nomination. In Michigan, Trump secured nearly 98% of the votes, winning all 13 districts participating in the nominating caucuses. The Michigan Republican Party devised a hybrid nominating system for this election cycle, where Trump also won the primary convincingly, securing 12 of 16 delegates, and took all of Michigan’s remaining 39 delegates at the caucus. More than 1,600 party insiders participated in the caucus in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Trump’s victories in these states further establish him as the frontrunner in the Republican nominating race. The Michigan Republican Party has experienced internal turmoil, with a faction ousting former chair Kristina Karamo and installing Pete Hoekstra, whom Trump backed, as chair. Trump’s victories in Missouri and Idaho netted him 54 and 32 delegates respectively.

Russia jails Jehovah, ’s Witness for eight years

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Russia jails Jehovah, ’s Witness for eight years

A court in southwestern Russia sentenced a Jehovah’s Witness, Aleksandr Chagan, to eight years in prison for organizing “extremist activities”. Russia’s Supreme Court had previously designated the Christian denomination as “extremist” in 2017, leading to the liquidation and banning of its nearly 400 chapters across the country. At the time of the ban, there were about 175,000 active believers in Russia. The case against Chagan was built around evidence from a “mole” who secretly filmed worship meetings. Chagan is the sixth Witness to receive an eight-year sentence, the longest term imposed since the ban. The Russian Orthodox Church dominates religious life in Russia, and some Orthodox scholars view Jehovah’s Witnesses as a “totalitarian sect”. Currently, at least 794 Witnesses have been criminally charged in Russia for their faith, with 127 serving prison sentences. The European Court of Human Rights ruled in June 2022 that the ban on Jehovah’s Witnesses was illegal.