Double murder: Tension as one defendant accuses other of lying

There was tension in court on Friday during the trial on the double murder of a school teacher and his wife, when one of the defendants burst into tears and accused his half-brother of lying.

The incident prompted the Nicosia Criminal Court to order a brief interruption before the hearing resumed.

Four people are on trial for the brutal murder of Yiorgos Hadjigeorgiou and Dina Sergiou at their Strovolos home last April. All four defendants Loizos Tzionis, Lefteris Solomou, Sarah Siance and Marios Hadjixenophontos have pleaded not guilty.

On Friday, the Nicosia Criminal Court continued the trial within the trial regarding the statement taken from Tzionis as well as the evidence that is being submitted to the court.

There was tension early on when then Solomou, who is Tzionis’ half-brother, burst into tears and turning to Tzionis said: “what did I do to you. How many lies for seven months now? You’ve put me in prison and I wonder why. Is it because I wouldn’t help you carry out the robbery?” The outburst led the court to order a short recess.

Continuing his testimony, police sergeant Savvas Siamoutis said that the 15 year old son of the slain couple had recognized Tzionis as the person who was in his house on the night of the murder.

He added that the first scenario Tzionis had given during questioning – that the crime was committed by Andreas and Elias Charalambous, and that he had seen the latter stab the two victim – was totally false and unbelievable. Tzionis had said he had battled with Elias in order to take his knife and had then rushed to save the 15 year old by hiding him in the basement.

In the second scenario, Tzionis had blamed the murder on a drug dealer, he said.

Asked by the court whether he had seen Tzionis suffering from withdrawal symptoms, Siamoutis said that the defendant had told him that he occasionally used cannabis while in a later statement he had said he used cocaine.

But he said that Tzionis had never told him he was an addict nor did he show signs of being one.

The trial resumes on Monday when Tizonis’s defence lawyer will cross examine the prosecution witness.

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Double murder trial: Tzionis’ confession due to substance deprivation says defence

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