**Former Deputy Attorney-General’s Embezzlement Case Postponed Till Next Month**
The case of former deputy attorney-general Loukis Loucaides, who is facing serious charges of embezzlement, has been postponed until October 20. The Limassol permanent criminal court adjourned the proceedings on Monday, pushing back the date for Loucaides to respond to the allegations against him.
Loukis Loucaides held the position of deputy attorney-general from 1975 until 1998 and later served as a judge at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). He appeared in court as the case was scheduled, accompanied by his lawyer, Christos Pourgourides. During the hearing, Pourgourides requested additional time to prepare a response to the charges, indicating that he was awaiting a reply from Attorney-General George Savvides regarding a request to have the case moved to trial in the district court.
The prosecution has requested that Loucaides post a bail amounting to €50,000. He faces two specific charges: theft by proxy and money laundering. These charges relate to a compensation payment of €177,108.12 that was made for the expropriation of property belonging to a deceased woman.
The complaint against Loucaides was filed in July of the previous year by the administrator of the deceased’s estate. It is alleged that Loucaides received the compensation payment from the Limassol municipality but failed to transfer the funds to the estate administrator as required.
In response to the allegations, Loucaides has consistently denied any wrongdoing, labeling the indictment as “malicious.” He asserts that there is no criminal activity on his part. Loucaides has explained that the case has its roots in 2008 when he was tasked by the estate’s then-administrator to pursue legal action against the municipality. This was in relation to the municipality’s failure to compensate for the demolition of the deceased woman’s house, which was removed to facilitate road construction.
Initially, a district court dismissed the lawsuit Loucaides filed against the municipality. However, he appealed the decision, and the appeals court ultimately ordered the municipality to settle the matter out of court. Loucaides claims that he negotiated on behalf of his client during this settlement process.
Once the settlement was finalized, Loucaides asserts that he received the compensation funds with the intention of transferring them to his client. However, he states that the estate administrator had changed and could not be located. A new administrator was appointed last year, leading to Loucaides being contacted regarding the transfer of the funds. He claims to have made a written offer to transfer the money, which he states went unanswered.
The court has now set the next hearing for October 20, where Loucaides will be required to formally respond to the charges against him. The case has garnered attention due to Loucaides' prominent legal background and the serious nature of the allegations. As the proceedings continue, both the prosecution and defense will prepare for the upcoming court date, which will be critical in determining the next steps in this high-profile case.