GC Police Seek Bicommunal Committee Help in Potamia Shooting Case

The statement comes after one arrest was made on Wednesday while three Turkish Cypriot suspects sought by police publicly denied wrongdoing and it remains to be seen if Turkish Cypriot authorities will cooperate for their arrest. 

The ongoing case concerns the death of a 24-year-old Pakistani, allegedly from police fire in the buffer zone, in the course an operation to halt illegal smuggling of people to the Republic.

Meanwhile, a man appeared in court in northern Nicosia after having been arrested in connection with the incident while trying to leave the island from the Kyrenia port.

The man was found dead in an open area on the outskirts of Nicosia at a 20km distance from where police shot at three vehicles transporting alleged migrants.

A 39-year-old Cameroonian, one of four suspects police had pegged as implicated in an organised smuggling ring, is expected to be brought before the Nicosia district court to be remanded on Thursday.
Named as Alain Martial Tchantchou he had been arrested on Wednesday shortly before 11am. According to sources the suspect has not admitted to any wrongdoing.

Police meanwhile recovered the rental vehicle he had been driving and in the course of investigation determined it had evidently been taken to a repair shop, after managing to escape in Potamia.

The silver Kia Picanto was found with only one hole in the back, determined to have been caused by a bullet, according to a report in Phileleftheros.

A bullet hole was found inside the vehicle on the backseat where the Pakistani had allegedly been sitting, the daily reported.

It appears an attempt had been made to place a filler in the hole on the exterior of the vehicle to cover it.
Criminal investigators are currently examining re-enactments of how the 24-year-old could have been fatally injured by this shot, said to have occurred at close range.

Meanwhile police are still seeking to arrest the remaining three suspects, 22-year-old Atilla Alaslan, his brother 31-year-old Coskun Alaslan and their 62-year-old father Khalil, all Turkish Cypriot, who took to the media following police releasing their photos and declaring them wanted on Wednesday.

Police said that the three are being investigated for attempted murder, conspiracy to commit a felony, and aiding and abetting illegal entry, transit, and residence in the Republic.

The trio has vehemently denied the charges against them with claims that Greek Cypriot police are targeting them as a result of a previous run-in.

Source: Cyprus Mail