stylianos case — stylianos case — Questions surrounding the responsibility of a senior social services official in the case of 14-year-old Stylianos Constantinou took centre stage in Nicosia district court on Tuesday. The defence team scrutinised evidence concerning alleged oversights leading to the teenager’s tragic death in 2019.
The hearing primarily revolved around the cross-examination of criminal investigator Andreas Andreou, conducted by lawyer Costas Nikolaides, representing the fourth defendant—a social services officer implicated in the case.
Defence arguments raised critical points about whether the accused officer had direct responsibility for the management of the Stylianos file. Nikolaides contended that the head of the Latsia welfare office had previously admitted to directing another welfare officer about the case, without mentioning the fourth defendant. According to him, this indicated that the office head was the primary authority responsible for the case.
In contrast, Andreou maintained that the defendant’s role as coordinator necessitated her involvement and oversight. He argued that her attendance at a meeting regarding Stylianos demonstrated her knowledge and engagement with the case’s management.
The defence further claimed that the defendant’s presence at the meeting was due to administrative directives rather than a direct operational role. Andreou countered this assertion, stating that her participation was justified by her status as an intermediary supervisory officer.
Throughout the questioning, Nikolaides pointed to official records from another accused welfare employee, highlighting the absence of references to the fourth defendant. The only mention involved preparations for a multidisciplinary meeting at the Education Ministry.
Despite this, Andreou insisted that, as coordinator, the defendant should have been aware of developments related to the family. The court also learned that Stylianos’ family was not being supervised as a public assistance case.
When asked about the basis for the charges against the fourth defendant, Andreou explained that the allegations primarily concerned omissions rather than direct actions. Nikolaides argued there was no evidence of a “conscious, subjective or deliberate decision” by his client to neglect her duties regarding the case.
Andreou dismissed this claim, asserting that the defendant’s inaction was a result of “wilful blindness” to known problems. This exchange highlighted the ongoing complexities surrounding the case and the scrutiny of welfare authorities and police actions preceding Stylianos’ death.
These proceedings are part of a broader investigation into the circumstances surrounding Stylianos’ passing in September 2019, which has already led to recommendations for prosecutions against multiple police officers, including police chief Themistos Arnaoutis. However, the legal service concluded there was insufficient evidence to pursue criminal charges against them.
