“Sandy case”: Drousiotis, Kyriakou referred to December criminal trial

Makarios Drousiotis and Kyriaki Kyriakou made their first court appearance on Wednesday over the high-profile “Sandy” case , with the Nicosia District Court referring the case directly to trial before the Criminal Court, set for December 15. Both defendants were released on bail of €10,000 each.

The hearing opened with the Law Office setting out its position, seeking referral to the Criminal Court on the grounds that the charges were not suitable to be examined together.

Drousiotis’s defence, represented by lawyer Lito Kariolou and the law firm of Christos Klerides, argued that the indictment did not disclose a case warranting referral to the Criminal Court. Kariolou also said the defence had not yet been given the full body of evidence.

Kyriakou’s lawyer told the court his client is unemployed and receives a single-parent benefit, adding that legal aid is being considered for her defence.

The indictment lists a total of 101 charges relating to forging a document, circulating a forged document, publishing false news and harassment.

The judge set the case down for trial at the Criminal Court on December 15 at 09:00. No application for detention was made by the prosecution, and both defendants were released on bail of €10,000 each. Legal aid for Kyriakou remains under consideration.

The “Sandy” case originated with a series of publications by Drousiotis alleging corruption and sexual misconduct involving public figures, centred on messages purportedly exchanged between a woman, Kyriakou, using the pseudonym “Sandy” and former Supreme Court judge Michalakis Christodoulou, who has acknowledged knowing her but denied all allegations of wrongdoing, philenews has previously reported.

Bank searches subsequently found no evidence of funds moved abroad, and the Council of Ministers ordered the material sent to Europol for forensic examination. Police later announced that the messages were fabricated and forged and that the information they contained was false, a conclusion Drousiotis has publicly rejected while continuing to maintain that his own messages are authentic.

Read more:

Drousiotis criminal investigations put freedom of expression at risk, journalists’ union says