The judge ruled that Saddam Hüseyin and Leon Dongho should continue to remain in police custody for a further 8 days.
The two were arrested in connection with the crimes of “Premeditated Homicide” and “Robbery”.
Two others involved have fled to south Cyprus and have had an extradition order placed on them.
The police stated that on December 22, 2023, at around 14.47, at shop selling luggage called Hit Bit, located on Surlariçi Vakıf Street in Nicosia, the two suspects tied the hands and feet of Ayça Alav, the owner of the business, from behind with a seat belt and antenna cable, and stuffed her mouth with a towel and bound it with parcel tape.
This led to her death from asphyxiation, a post mortem found.
The suspects then went to Alav Currency Exchange, which operates nearby, and stole an undetermined amount of foreign currency and Turkish Lira.
The police stated that the murder suspects left the scene and went to Ercan Airport road to escape to the south of Cyprus with the help of Saddam Hüseyin and Leon Dongho. Leon Dongho was paid 50 Euros and Saddam Hüseyin was paid 100 for his part in the crime.
While under arrest, Hüseyin made a voluntary statement, the police said.
The police announced that numerous people were questioned, statements were taken from 10 people and multiple camera images were examined within the scope of the investigation.
The police stated that there were other statements to be taken and more camera footage to be examined. The police stated that the investigation was continuing on a large scale and requested that the suspects be detained for another 8 days.
Following the police statement, FLWD’s lawyer said that the suspect had complained about the cell conditions and food, and said that the conditions were inhumane.
Judge Zehra Yalkut Bilgeç, who evaluated the testimony before her, ordered the suspects to be detained for a further 8 days.
