In Göneli, a Lithuanian sentenced to one year in prison for breaking into an apartment, assaulting a police officer, and possession of cannabis

The District Court for Serious Crimes in Lefkoşa on August 27 sentenced Lithuanian Roland Rackaukas: the man was found guilty and sentenced to one year in prison for unlawful entry into a dwelling, intentional property damage, assault on a police officer, and possession of a controlled substance.

According to the court, on June 14, 2025, around 10:40 PM in Göneli, the defendant knocked on the door of a woman’s apartment (24 years old), then pushed the door, entered the residence, and broke three cups and one glass — damage estimated at 250 lira. When police officers attempted to detain him at the Göneli station, he struck one officer, causing an injury to the officer’s mouth. A court-ordered search found 0.5 mg of cannabis in his possession as evidence.

The court took into account that the defendant admitted guilt, apologized, had no prior convictions, and was in a foreign country; these circumstances were considered mitigating. However, the overall nature of the offenses and the assault on a police officer justified a custodial sentence.

For residents of Northern Cyprus, this serves as a reminder: unlawful entry, violence against law enforcement, and even possession of small amounts of drugs are taken seriously by the courts — especially for foreigners, since mitigating factors may not prevent actual punishment.