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The Limassol Permanent Criminal Court today sentenced the accused to 8 years in prison for the big fire of July 3, 2021, which started in the village of Arakapas and extended to other areas of the mountainous Limassol and Larnaca. Due to the fire, four persons died in the village of Odou in Larnaca district, while the property damage caused amounted to €15,318,798.
According to the Court's decision, "the defendant intentionally and unlawfully set fire to the riverbed, near the river's enclosure, with the motive to burn the dense vegetation and clear the river. The consequences of his action were disastrous, extensive and unprecedented [...] and the fire grew out of control and was finally extinguished the following day. He also fled the scene and the area just as large forces were being mobilised to extinguish it'.
It is recalled that on May 24, 2023, the convicted man was found guilty by the Permanent Criminal Court of Limassol on charges relating to the offences of "Setting fire to vineyards and plantations" (Article 317 of the Criminal Code) and starting a fire in the countryside (Law 220/1988), with the Court finding the circumstantial evidence relied upon by the Legal Service, as the Prosecuting Authority, to be sufficient to convict the accused.
On behalf of the Attorney General of the Republic, the case was handled by Ms. Anna Matthaiou, Attorney of the Republic I.
12 June 2023
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