Simon Aykut’s Case Postponed to 10 June

Reports indicate that the session scheduled for yesterday at the Nicosia (South) Criminal Court was adjourned at the request of the defence after Aykut’s lawyer fell ill. The court ruled that Aykut will remain in custody until the next hearing.

Handwriting Forgery in Focus in German Realtor’s Case

Meanwhile, Haravgi newspaper reported on the ongoing case of German real estate agent Ewa Isabella Kunzel, who is also detained in South Cyprus over dealings involving former Greek Cypriot properties in the TRNC. Her case proceeded in the form of a “trial within a trial” at the Nicosia (South) Criminal Court.

At issue is Kunzel’s complaint, previously raised in the 23 May hearing, that during her detention at Larnaca Airport, she was made to sign an English-language form she did not understand and that her signature was forged. The court continued examining this claim yesterday with a cross-examination of police handwriting expert Sergeant Yorgos Chrisanthu.

The core of the session centred on the circumstances of Kunzel’s arrest, the language used during her detention, and whether she knowingly signed the consent form allowing a search of her luggage. The defence questioned the authenticity of the phrase “my travel laggage (gepack)” found on the document, highlighting the misspelling and the mixed use of English and German, arguing it could not have been written by Kunzel. As a result, handwriting analysis was requested to determine potential forgery.

Sergeant Chrisanthu testified that handwriting samples were taken from Kunzel in the presence of lawyers and interpreters. According to his report, the rest of the handwriting on the form displayed a natural flow, whereas the suspicious phrase showed slow, disconnected writing, indicating possible tampering.

During cross-examination, defence lawyer Sotiris Argyros emphasised that Chrisanthu admitted graphology is not a definitive science like DNA or fingerprint analysis. However, the officer maintained that despite the non-mathematical nature of handwriting analysis, there are clear procedures and principles, and that two experts could reach similar conclusions based on the same data.

The next session, expected to involve the questioning of a new witness, is scheduled for 6 June at 9:00 a.m. Kunzel will remain in detention under the same conditions until then.

Greek Cypriot Council Reports Collaboration with TRNC-Based Firms

In a separate article, Politis and other newspapers reported on statements by Marinos Kinegiru, President of the Greek Cypriot Real Estate Agents Registration Council. Kinegiru confirmed a previous report that the Council has filed a complaint with South Cyprus police against two real estate offices suspected of illegally collaborating with property agencies in the TRNC regarding properties belonging to Greek Cypriot owners.

Kinegiru alleged that such illegal cooperation is becoming increasingly serious as both illegal and legal real estate operations are expanding and, in some cases, moving to the TRNC. He claimed that these individuals are going so far as to sell properties of displaced Greek Cypriots without hesitation, branding them as “usurpers.”