Student arrested for beating apartment resident and a police officer

A man who beat and threatened a resident of an apartment building located in Lefkosia with a knife for warning him assaulted and injured a police officer who was at the scene to restore order. 

The incident happened at around 5:00pm on Wednesday July 10 at an apartment building located in Küçük Kaymaklı.

According to report, the suspect identified only as, UMM, a Nigerian was in the stairwell of the building when a resident of the apartment KV, asked him what he was doing in the apartment and asked him to leave.

The suspect kicked the door of the apartment, caused a disturbance by shouting and yelling, then walked towards KV with a 28-centimeter knife and a cleaver in his hand, kicked his leg, stepped on his right big toe and severely beat him.

He was arrested following the incident and taken to the Lefkoşa district court on charges of causing serious harm, causing intentional damage, serious assault, assaulting a police officer and preventing a police officer from his duty, carrying a weapon and knife, causing a disturbance, and inappropriate behaviour and conduct.

Police in a court statement said the suspect resisted arrest and pushed the police officers who were on duty trying to arrest him.

Police said he caused serious damage to the officer by breaking his right forearm, and then kicking the rear left trunk door of the police vehicle, bending the left door from the outside, and breaking the boards and hinges inside the left door, causing deliberate damage.

The knife in question was found in the suspect’s waist and the cleaver was found in the stairwell of the apartment building and seized as evidence. 

Police stated that the suspect was an active student but did not have a permanent address or place to stay, and that he could commit the same crimes again if he were released, and requested that he be tried in custody.

The judge who evaluated the testimony given in court, ordered that the suspect be sent to prison for a period not exceeding 75 days.