The offenses were committed during the years 2013 and 2014 in Larnaca, Aradippou and Liopetri. The verdict of the Criminal Court was based on the testimony of Rusopontios Elladis Sousanidis, personal bodyguard of the murdered George Georgios otherwise Tsikito, who complained a few weeks ago that he had received threats to leave Cyprus and not to testify.
According to the facts of the case, on January 26, 2013, a fire broke out in a building that housed a betting agency in Aradippou. The fire destroyed all the equipment of the store, causing damages of ten thousand euros. A police investigation revealed that the fire was started maliciously, since the interior was covered with flammable material, ie gasoline.
Also on January 28, 2013 around five in the morning a fire broke out in a car causing damage of 900 euros. Police investigations revealed that the fire was started maliciously with the use of flammable material, gasoline.
Moreover, on November 14, 2013, around eight in the morning, an improvised explosive device was found outside a store located on Griva Digeni Avenue in Larnaca, ie a detonator connected to a slow-burning fire rope, which was connected to a high-powered explosive. The device was detonated, however, it did not explode as the fire rope did not ignite normally.
Also on March 10, 2014, the owner of a betting agency located on Petraki Giallourou Street in Liopetri found that the front windows of the store were broken and there was a fire inside the premises, which he extinguished with the use of a fire extinguisher. The damage to the agency, which was not covered by fire insurance, was estimated at 700 euros, while police investigations revealed that the fire was set maliciously with the use of gasoline.
It is noted that as Hellas Sousanidis testified in Court, he was receiving instructions from Valentinos Alamagos, who in turn was receiving orders from Lazaros Filippou, for the commission of the crimes. Rusopontios also testified that he was performing driver duties and the arsons were committed by other people, while after each arson he was paid in cash.
Alamagos's defense attorney, speaking for mitigation purposes, acknowledged the seriousness of the offenses in question, but asked for his client to be judged leniently, on the basis of breach of the principle of equal treatment if the main prosecution witness, ie Greece, in the commission of the offenses he was not prosecuted. He also referred to Alamagos' diminished role in committing crimes, his white criminal record, his personal circumstances, the value of the damage caused and the non-benefit.
The decision of the Court states that the seriousness of the offenses committed is reflected in the maximum sentence provided by law. According to the Court's decision, the crime of arson has, unfortunately, been on the rise in recent years, which makes it imperative to impose deterrent penalties in an effort to limit the criminal activity of the outlaws and to protect the lives and property of citizens.
For the purpose of mitigating the sentence, the Court took into account the principle of equal treatment of persons involved in the same case, namely that the main prosecution witness who was an accomplice and the mastermind, on whose orders Alamagos acted, were not prosecuted.
The diminished role of the accused in the commission of the offenses, his white criminal record, his personal circumstances, his mother's mental health problems and the health problems of his fiancée's mother were also taken into account. It also took into account the fact that no human life was endangered from the commission of the crimes, the total value of the damages caused amounts to 11.600 euros and that Alamagos did not derive any financial or other benefit from his participation in the commission of the crimes.
The Criminal Court sentenced Valentino Alamagos to one year in prison on a charge of conspiracy to commit a crime, two years on a charge of arson and two years on a charge of attempted destruction of property with explosives.
The sentences have been in force since June 2015, when the 32-year-old was in custody.
Source: KYPE