NICOSIA – The six defendants in the Mari trial do have a case to answer, Larnaca District Court ruled Tuesday.
They were given the option of either taking the stand and undergoing cross-examination, or making written statements.
The six have opted for statements which will be prepared by their lawyers and presented on March 4,5 and 6.
The judges underlined that the fact that they have a case to answer does not imply guilt.
A total of 120 prosecution witnesses will have been heard by the court by the time the trail ends.
Pleading not guilty to causing death through lack of precaution and homicide by gross negligence in relation to the deaths of the 13 people are former Foreign Minister Marcos Kyprianou, ex-Defence Minister Costas Papacostas, former deputy chief of the National Guard Savvas Argyrou, former fire service chief Andreas Nicolaou; deputy fire chief Charalambos Charalambous; and former disaster response squad commander Andreas Loizides.