Aykut admits part of the charges in the case of illegal use of Greek Cypriot property

74-year-old developer Simon Mistreli Aykut, accused of illegally using Greek Cypriot property in Northern Cyprus, has changed his position in court and admitted part of the charges against him.

At the Nicosia District Court hearing, Aykut’s lawyer, Maria Neophytou, announced that her client decided to withdraw his initial “not guilty” plea and admit guilt on several counts. She requested a short adjournment to finalize the agreed statements and present a revised list of facts that Aykut is ready to confirm.

Prosecutor’s representative Vassilis Bissas, speaking on behalf of Attorney Andreas Aristeidou, supported the defense’s request. The court declared a recess, after which the hearing was scheduled to resume the same day.

According to preliminary agreements between the parties, Aykut will be convicted only on the counts he admits, while the remaining charges will be dropped. The defense said the step aims to mitigate a potential sentence and shorten the duration of the trial.

Aykut, a citizen of Turkey, Israel, and Portugal, is the founder of the Afik Group, which carried out construction projects in Northern Cyprus. The prosecution accuses him of illegally possessing and commercially using land belonging to Greek Cypriot owners, as well as fraud and money laundering related to property transactions.

The trial against Aykut is considered one of the largest in Cyprus’s history involving property issues in the occupied territories. According to court data, the total number of charges previously exceeded 240 counts.

If the plea agreement is approved, the trial on the remaining charges will be terminated. The court’s decision is expected in the coming days.