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A 58-YEAR-OLD Larnaca man was yesterday jailed for 17 years for killing his partner last year.

The murder was committed on April 20, 2011 in Larnaca at the flat where the couple had been staying together for two weeks prior to the killing. . 

Antonis Kalogirou turned up at Larnaca police station a little after 11pm on the night of the murder to report that Irini Andreou, 39, had lost consciousness about an hour earlier.

He told police that he and Andreou, were drinking at the flat on Apostolos Varnavas street when she lost consciousness.

Police found the victim sitting motionless on an armchair. 

The absence of external injuries initially led them to believe there was no foul play involved but later doctors noticed a small 2cm lesion under her left breast, which appeared to have been caused by a sharp instrument.

An autopsy concluded that the victim had been pierced beneath her left breast, probably by a screwdriver, causing serious and fatal injuries to the lungs and heart.

The murder weapon was not found.

Kalogirou denied committing the crime, claiming it was the work of the victim’s husband who allegedly paid Andreou €150 a month to be part of a ‘fake marriage’. But the man in question had left Cyprus three hours before the murder. He returned to the island to where he testified in court as a prosecution witness. 

The Larnaca Criminal Court rejected Kalogirou’s claims, saying he had acted violently and barbarically with disregard to human life.

Born Jelal Hodja, he took the name Antonis Kalogirou in the early 80s, after converting to Christianity.

Originally from old part of Famagusta – currently under Turkish occupation -- he got married and had four children.

The couple later divorced.