CYPRUS: Aristo acquitted in Paphos land fraud case

A court in Paphos has acquitted Theodoros Aristodemou, his wife Roulla and two others, from charges of fraud and forging public documents in relation to a land deal in the Skali area where Aristo Developers had been preparing a major project.

The Aristodemou couple, who were acquitted together with the company’s draftsman Christos Solomonides and former municipal engineer Savvas Savva, issued a statement saying despite their humiliation they have been vindicated and have full faith in the justice system that finally prevailed.
“Those responsible for this crime should live up to their actions and realise what they have done,” the announcement said.
“We will take legal action all those who consciously took part or assisted in this crime,” it added.
The court had heard that the company had been granted a permit for 177 plots but this was allegedly falsified later by replacing the approved architectural plans with amended ones, which ceded the company an additional area of 2,730 square metres for development at the expense of the legally mandated green space and road network.
The land was estimated to be worth around EUR 1.1 mln.
Reading out the ruling, presiding judge Dora Sokratous said the state prosecutors had failed to prove intent to defraud the public beyond a reasonable doubt.