Dialogos

Lawyer Initially Intended to Withdraw from German Real Estate Agent's Case, Ultimately Continues Defense

Published March 20, 2026, 17:04
Lawyer Initially Intended to Withdraw from German Real Estate Agent's Case, Ultimately Continues Defense

The hearing at the Nicosia Criminal Court continued in a tense atmosphere, following the rejection of the German real estate agent's bail application. The defense lawyer, Sotiris Argyrou, initially expressed an intention to withdraw from the case, citing the enormous volume of evidence and procedural obstacles, as well as the lack of sufficient time for preparation due to the translation of material from German. Mr. Argyrou emphasized that the simultaneous management and translation of extensive material makes substantial preparation practically impossible, while the representative of the prosecuting authority, Anna Matthaiou, rejected allegations of obstruction, arguing that a significant volume of translated documents had been submitted. However, she admitted that part of the material remains untranslated. After consultations with the defendant, Mr. Argyrou informed the court that his client does not wish to terminate his representation, removing – at least for the time being – the possibility of withdrawal. The proceedings continued with the testimony of prosecution witness Konstantinos Anastasiou, who presented evidence from mobile phone data extraction, such as photos, maps, and data from land measurement applications. The defense raised objections during the examination of the witness. It is recalled that the court had rejected the defendant's request for conditional release yesterday, ruling that no differentiating data had been demonstrated. The defendant faces 46 charges of fraudulent transactions in real estate, illegal use of property, and money laundering from illegal activities and remains in custody. The case will continue on Monday, March 23, 2026.