Student sentenced to 18 months in prison for assaulting and injuring a police officer

A student was sentenced to 18 months in prison in north Cyprus on Wednesday after he was found guilty of assaulting a Turkish Cypriot police officer.

The ruling against the defendant, TCT, a Nigerian student in north Cyprus was announced by the Lefkosa criminal high court on Wednesday November 20.

The suspect was accused of disturbing public peace and engaging in inappropriate behavior, assaulting two police officers during his arrest. His actions resulted in a female officer's finger being broken.

The court stated that at around 9:10 p.m on January 17, 2024, the accused was detained for disturbing the public and taken to the police station. During the processing of his arrest, the defendant pushed officer H.D.Ö., 27 in the chest, causing him to fall. He then kicked female officer B.S., injuring her right foot and hand and breaking her right middle finger, thereby causing grievous bodily harm and preventing the officers from performing their duties.

The judge noted that the charge of grievous bodily harm carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison.

“Examining recent cases on the agenda of the High Criminal Court, it is clear that crimes of this nature have become increasingly common. Such offenses directly impact public order,” the judge stated.

The court considered the severity of the crime, especially as it was committed against officers responsible for maintaining public safety.

In response, the defendant's lawyer claimed that the accused felt discriminated against and wrongfully arrested, the judge said, “If the accused believed he was wronged, he should have sought justice through the courts.”

His lawyer also argued that the defendant was a student in his final year of studies and that imprisonment would lead to deportation, causing hardship for both him and his family. However, the judge stated that the possibility of deportation did not diminish the gravity of the crime and noted that legal challenges to deportation could be pursued.

The court acknowledged mitigating factors, such as the defendnat’s 10-month pretrial detention, his lack of a prior criminal record, and his efforts to compensate the victims.

“Considering all these factors, along with the principles of sentencing and legal provisions, we find that a sentence other than imprisonment is not appropriate in the interest of public welfare,” the judge declared.

He was sentenced to 18 months in prison.