The trial of furloughed Paphos mayor Phedonas Phedonos resumed on Thursday, with the prosecution calling to the stand a number of witnesses acquainted with the alleged rape victim.
Phedonos faces five distinct charges: rape; indecent assault against a woman; indecent assault against a woman by another act (meaning non-physical); assault causing actual bodily harm; and administering a drug or substance to another person with the intent of rendering that person unable to resist.
The defendant has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
At Paphos criminal court on Thursday, prosecutors called to the witness stand a number of people who are co-workers of the alleged victim.
Held behind closed doors at the request of the state prosecutors, the hearings began in late July. Previously, more than 10 witnesses had testified, the majority of whom police officers and experts.
Reports said the complainant herself is likely to take the stand at a subsequent date, yet to be determined. Although she will be physically present in the courthouse, she would testify from another room – not the room where the trial is taking place – via video conference.
The court set the next hearing for September 17.
Sources close to the trial told the Cyprus Mail the proceedings would likely wrap up by the end of the year.
The allegations of rape surfaced in February, when Paphos-based land developer Theodoros Aristodemou, of Aristo Developers, accused Phedonos of committing the crime around ten years ago, before giving a statement to the police.
Shortly after the accusations were made, Phedonos was suspended from his mayoral post by Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou. Since being suspended, he has been paid a third of his mayoral salary by the state and Angelos Onisiforou has been appointed as acting Paphos mayor.
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