INTERNATIONAL arrest warrants were issued against lawyer Marios Shiaeles and his wife Niki Fasaria when they skipped Cyprus seven years ago.
When they fled, Shiaeles allegedly took with him client funds estimated to be in excess of three million Cyprus Pounds (more than €5 million). Some of the alleged victims lost hundreds of thousands of pounds.
A year later a statement from the victims’ group said that the courts were insisting that that the couple had to be found before the fugitive lawyer’s assets could be seized.
“Based on this logic, if the police cannot find Shiaeles, justice will never be served and Shiaeles walks free with millions of pounds of stolen money,” it said.
“The Cyprus judiciary need to be encouraged to ensure that fair justice is delivered for the victims rather than the legal process hindering the victims and ultimately protecting the criminal.”
Earlier today we received news from two of Shiaeles’ alleged victims that the couple had been found and Shiaeles was apprehended. He appeared in court yesterday and was bailed to appear in the Limassol District Court on July 16.
Bailed. Welcome to Cyprus, a place with no justice – never was and never will be.
Sic transit gloria iustitiae in Kypros. With apologies to my bad Latin, ‘here passes the glory of justice in Cyprus’. Says it all, I think.
BAILED ????????????????. You will not see him again. Keep us up to date Nigel. On the 17th June it will read. Shiaeles fails to turn up in court to answer charges
Our builder (No names) did exactly the same. Stayed on the island until the last minute then fled with millions of pounds of clients money and left the few properties he built unfinished. A criminal conviction was obtained in Cyprus but at the eleventh hour he changed his plea to not guilty (which he was allowed to do), then skipped the island. Because he can not be found in Cyprus the courts have shelved the case and he too has walked free with millions.
This guy with the help of Cypriot solicitors who no doubt got paid handsomely has played the Cyprus justice system and left many peoples lives in ruins.
Now you see him…. Now you don’t… It’s MAGIC!
@All – I believe bail was set at €400,000.
@Pippa. Perhaps he was granted bail as he is friends with the judge!
@Pete, perhaps the bail was 5 million Euros!!!
Did I understand that correctly?
He was given bail????????????????