Pakistan national sentenced to 20 years in prison in north Cyprus for morder

A Pakistani national has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by a Famagusta court for murder.

The accused identified as Muhammed Salma was tired by a Famagusta court for killing an artist teacher, Hasan Işık Özgöçmen in September, 2018 and fled the country to south Cyprus.

He was later arrested in south Cyprus and brought back to north Cyprus to face trial for murder, theft and illegal residency.

He accepted the charges in court.

Hasan Işık Özgöçmen was a well known artist in north Cyprus. 

Özgöçmen was discovered beaten and strangled by his own belt in a forest in Iskele. 

Police checked security camera footage in the local area which showed that Salman was with Özgöçmen on the day of the murder.

Hasan Işık Özgöçmen

Salman arrived in the TRNC in 2015 and worked at several different jobs. He became unemployed in June 2018 which made it illegal for him to remain in the country.

It was learned that Salman had confided in a friend that he had done something bad and had to get out of the country. 

He said he would try and get to Limassol in south Cyprus as he tired to leave the TRNC illegally.