Nicosia, Cyprus. Lawyer Elias Stephanou said the state legal service must explain its handling of witnesses following the acquittal of former House president Demetris Syllouris and former Akel MP Christakis Giovanis in the golden passports case.
Calls for explanations on witness handling
Speaking on Thursday to the Cyprus News Agency, Stephanou said people should not rush ahead regardless of what is recorded in the decision, but added there are issues on which the legal service must take a position, particularly regarding witnesses who did not come to testify.
His comments followed reports that some prosecution witnesses were not called during the trial. Stephanou said some witnesses were suspected of committing criminal offences and were given immunity so they could become witnesses.
He said the legal service must take a position on how these witnesses, whom the prosecution considers unreliable, were handled after they changed positions they had stated before investigating authorities.
Expectations ahead of planned appeal
Stephanou said he would expect positions or explanations on how the legal service will handle issues that will not be discussed in the context of the appeal it intends to file against the decision.
He also said he would expect self-criticism on whether mistakes were made and at what stage.
Limits of an appeal
Stephanou said an appeals court may reach different conclusions, meaning discussions at this point may become irrelevant over time.
He said the legal service’s right to appeal the ruling concerns only legal points, and that issues of witnesses’ credibility have been decided by the court of first instance and will not be re-examined on appeal.
He added that an appeal will be judged on whether the decision contains legal errors, based on the facts as they were submitted and considered. He said the court of appeal will only re-evaluate testimony already admitted in the court of first instance.
What explanations do you think the state legal service should provide about its handling of witnesses in this case?
