Ayia Napa club owner gunned down
Jean Christou
A CABARET owner was shot dead outside his club on Nissi Avenue in Ayia Napa last night, killed by a bullet to the head, police said.
It was the fourth attempt on the life of Pieris Christofi, 50. He was targeted with bomb explosions twice before at his club Moulin Rouge and once at his home. Christofi was a partner in the cabaret but was sole owner of the snack bar next door. Both establishments were closed for the winter season, reports from Ayia Napa said.
According to police, last night at around 8pm Christofi was approached outside his club by a man who hailed him from a short distance away. Several gunshots were then heard and Christofi was seen falling to the ground. The fatal shot had hit him in the forehead.
The suspect fled on foot towards the Ayia Napa harbour. Police said he was around 1.7 metres tall and was wearing black clothes and a black hood.
An ambulance rushed Christofi to Paralimni hospital and he died 30 minutes later. His body was taken to Larnaca hospital for a post mortem. Christofi was married to a Ukrainian woman and had a daughter and a son.
It was the third underworld-related killing in the past ten days.
On Monday Savvas Nikiforou, 33, alias Nikoulis was shot in the eye by a gunman while they were drinking coffee together in Kato Polemidhia. The victim died from his injuries at Limassol General Hospital later in the day. The shooting was believed to be part of an ongoing series of vendetta killings. A 42-year old man has been arrested in connection with the killing.
On March 11 a 42-year old Bulgarian man Athanasios Tsapelas, was murdered during the early hours after a bomb was detonated in his car in Limassol. His 35-year-old wife was seriously injured in the explosion.
Commenting earlier yesterday on the current ‘cycle of violence’, police chief Charalambos Koulentis said the Nikoulis case was as good as solved given what was contained in statements gathered by police, which were due to be put before the court
”The problem of his type of crime in Limassol is not a new phenomenon,” he said.
“With the exception of the two murders the same problems are also evident in other towns, and police are vigilant, always taking the necessary measures.”
He avoided however linking the Nikoulis murder with that of the Bulgarian man.
“It would not be right to get into details,” he said.
Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2007
