The Appellate Court Upholds Sentence for Elderly Man
In a recent turn of events, the appellate judicial body has made a crucial decision regarding the case of Chrysanthos, an 82-year-old grandfather. The request for a suspended sentence has been rejected, maintaining the initial ruling from the Limassol Permanent Criminal Court. Consequently, Chrysanthos faces an immediate prison sentence of two and a half years.
The decision now rests with the Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General to decide on clemency procedures. They hold the power to initiate actions as outlined in the Constitution of the Republic of Cyprus, potentially granting clemency to the elderly convict.
Previously, the President of the Republic had opted to use his power of presidential pardon for humanitarian reasons, urging the legal officers to proceed with the release process. However, this recent development indicates a divergence in judicial opinion. The majority of the appellate judges concurred with the original court’s verdict, denying the suspension of Chrysanthos’s sentence. In contrast, Court of Appeal President Charalambos Charalambous had expressed that a suspended sentence would be appropriate given the unique circumstances and nature of the incident.
Chrysanthos was convicted on March 6, 2024, after confessing to shooting an intruder on his property. His health has been a significant concern; during the trial, he was hospitalized thrice at Limassol General Hospital. Maria Neophytou, his attorney, contended in the appeal that the lower court erred by not considering a suspended sentence for the elderly man.
Neophytou further argued that the court should have leveraged its discretionary power to favor a suspension, given Chrysanthos’s advanced age and health issues. With the appellate judicial body’s decision, it is clear that the debate over whether justice or compassion should prevail in this case continues. The final resolution now hinges on whether the Attorney General and Deputy Attorney General will intervene on behalf of Chrysanthos.
