CYPRUS MAIL Thursday, November 1, 2012
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Home CYPRUS TODAY Record tourism revenue reported for August TOURISM revenue set a new record in August reaching €312.1 million. At 16.9 per cent this was the biggest annual increase in 13 months, data released by the Statistical Service showed. Data based on the Passenger Survey, show revenue from tourism increased to €312.1 million in August compared to €267 million in August 2011. The period between January and August this year saw revenue reach €1.32 billion compared to €1.22 billion in the same period last year, an increase of 8.5 per cent. The August figure was the biggest increase since July 2011 when revenue recorded an increase of 18.8 per cent. The second biggest revenue from tourism was €306 million recorded in August 2007.
Grenade attack at city car wash A HAND grenade explosion – the second in two days – at a Nicosia car wash caused €4,000 worth of damage, police said yesterday. It was the second incident involving a hand grenade in two days. The grenade exploded between 6.30am and 7.30am, police said. In the early hours of Tuesday, unknown individuals hurled a grenade at the entrance of a cinema complex in Nicosia, slightly injuring a security guard and damaging a car. Two individuals on a motorbike were spotted throwing a grenade at 2.50am, authorities said.
State lottery enters the 21st century with website By Stefanos Evripidou THE STATE lottery yesterday announced its first foray into the online world with its own website, 54 years after the lottery came to Cyprus. State lottery director Stavros Michael presented the new website yesterday, noting that members of the public can now access information on the different lottery tickets available, winning tickets, legislation governing the state-sponsored gambling operation, and other relevant information. The state lottery was first introduced in 1958 under British colonial rule, printing out 80,000 lottery tickets for a grand prize of (CY) £5,000 or €8,543. The lottery was suspended for a brief period during
the EOKA freedom struggle, but then reinstated in 1961, after independence. It has been operating ever since, introducing the ‘scratch card’ lottery ticket in 1979. According to Michael, over half the money made goes back to the public. Consumers receive 50.1 per cent of the profits made from lottery ticket sales in prize money, while 37.8 per cent is net profit, 10 per cent is the commission paid to agents, 1.3 per cent accounts for operational costs, and under 1 per cent is spent on personnel. “The majority of those who win the state lottery belong mainly in the low to medium-sized income brackets. “The money won, based on the statements of the winners, is used to pay off debts, pay for their children’s education, build or add to their homes, help
their children etc. In other words, the prize money of the state lottery was well spent,” said Michael. In 2011, sales dropped by around €5m from €54.3m in 2010 to €49.2m the year after. Net profit in 2011 came to €18.2m, compared to €19.7m the year before, recording a 7.8 per cent decrease. Last year’s total prize money paid out came to €24.8m compared to €27.6m in 2010. Between 2000 and 2011, the highest net profit came in 2002 at €27.7m while the biggest prize money given out was recorded in the same year at €35.1m. As part of the government’s drive to tighten belts, operational costs were reduced from €1.6m in 2010 to €1.2m in 2011, a reduction of 18.4 per cent. For more information on the state lottery and winning tickets, visit: www.lottery.gov.cy.
Hairdresser found guilty
Larnaca jeweller found shot dead
Life for murder of pregnant Julia and 35 years for the manslaughter of Victoria, 3 By George Psyllides A 30-YEAR-OLD Paphos hairdresser was yesterday sentenced to life imprisonment for killing his pregnant girlfriend and her toddler on a beach in Yeroskipou last December. Theodoros Theophanous was sentenced to life for the premeditated murder of 24year-old Julia Oborok, who was four months pregnant with his child at the time, and was also given 35 years on a manslaughter charge for killing her three-year-old daughter Victoria. The sentences will run in succession, the three-member criminal court said. Theophanous was also handed 10 years each for two charges relating to possession of a firearm and explosives. These will run concurrently with the life sentence. Oborok was shot while Victoria was nearly suffocated by hand and then drowned using considerable force by the assailant who pushed her face down violently on the stones in shallow water. Referring to Victoria’s death, the presiding judge said it was the first time that Cyprus witnessed such a se-
rious case of manslaughter. The defendant did ask Oborok not to take threeyear-old Victoria with her to the fatal meeting, the judge said, but even after seeing her in the car, he still went ahead with his hideous plans. The way he caused the child pain, agony and ultimately her death make one’s hair stand on end, the judge said. Relatives of the victims welcomed the decision with applause in stark contrast to the hairdresser’s family who broke down in tears. The 30year-old’s mother fainted. Security measures at the court were strict with more than 50 police officers deployed inside and outside the courtroom. The court asserted that the motive for the murders were pathological jealousy and the financial problems faced by Theophanous. The court heard that the defendant had been paying €30,000 in monthly payments to loan sharks and became enraged when he realised that Oborok was lying to him when she said she would lend him €300,000 that she would in turn get from her grandfather.
Murdered Julia Oborok and her daughter Victoria The judges judged as reliable testimony from convict Antonis Kitas, who had led police to the murder weapon having won the hairdresser’s trust in prison. During his trial, Theophanous claimed he adored Oborok and that he considered Victoria his own child. He accused Paphos dep-
uty police chief, Nicos Sophocleous, as well as Paphos CID officers of exercising psychological and physical violence on him. He claimed they repeatedly beat him after his arrest to force him into confessing to the murder and that they threatened to set him up if he failed to do so.
A 67-YEAR-OLD jeweller from Larnaca was yesterday found shot dead in the Paphos district near Petra Tou Romiou. Michalakis Demetriou was found dead in a pool of blood near his car on a dirt road at 4pm. State pathologist Eleni Antoniou said Diogenous was shot at least twice but more information would be available today after the post mortem. Reports said the man was shot in the head and chest from close distance. Police said they were investigating all possibilities although the main focus was his line of work. The man’s car had been found ransacked. “The fact that he dealt with the trade of jewellery is under investigation,” Paphos police spokesman Nicos Tsiappis said. The victim’s son told police that his father had only said he was travelling to Paphos for business. Police had no indication of how Demetriou ended up in the area. Also yesterday, a 65-yearold Polis fisherman reported missing by his family was found dead on his boat, police said, but foul play has been ruled out. Pavlos Ioannou was found unconscious on his boat in the Fontana Amorosa area at around 7pm. He was rushed to Polis hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Ioannou had been suffering with heart problems. Police have ruled out foul play. Ioannou had gone fishing early yesterday morning but had not contacted his family who notified police in the afternoon. The exact cause of death is expected to be determined today during a post mortem.