NICOSIA - A TV presenter and her brother were held in police custody on Friday for allegedly ordering the contract killing of media tycoon Andis Hadjicostis.
Elena Skordelli – a 42-year-old mother of two and private channel TV host –and her brother Tassos Krasopoulis, 37, appeared before a Nicosia district court on Friday and were detained in custody for eight days. They have not been charged.
The pair denies any involvement in the killing and their defence lawyers said the suspects wanted to help police with their inquiries.
They were arrested on Thursday night in connection with the gangland-style hit of the media mogul after a suspect already in custody admitted to his part in the crime. He then fingered the brother and sister as the people behind the killing, police said.
According to the suspect’s police statement, he met the TV journalist and her brother on two occasions where they ordered the hit on Hadjicostis for a fee, the court heard.
Phileleftheros daily said the pair had allegedly offered €50,000 to get the job done.
Police believe the motive was financial and personal revenge as they are both shareholders in private channel Sigma TV and Skordelli held Hadjiscostis personally responsible for losing her job at Sigma.