Filenews 22 February 2023
The Famagusta District Court sentenced to 7 months in prison 41 years from Sri Lanka, who was found guilty of injuring a compatriot last January in Ormidia.
The defendant had been arrested on the evening of January 8 as part of an investigation into information about an injured person, outside a bakery in Ormideia. It was found that the injured man was a 40-year-old, a legal worker from Sri Lanka, who was attacked with a knife by his 41-year-old roommate, resulting in part of his right ear being cut off.
The injured man had been taken by ambulance to Famagusta General Hospital in Paralimni, where his wound was repaired. The 41-year-old perpetrator was spotted by members of the Famagusta ICF in a state of intoxication and at the sight of the police began to insult them, resulting in his spontaneous arrest. He was subsequently arrested, pursuant to a court warrant, for the offences of injury and public insult.
* * * * * *
An incident of vandalism unfolded at a public school in Limassol on Tuesday night.
In particular, unknown persons caused damage to compressors of air conditioners of the Lanitio Lyceum in Limassol.
As we are informed, the perpetrators removed the compressors from the air conditioners and stole various parts. The incident was noticed in the morning, while members of the Police rushed to the scene for examinations.
It should be noted that the Limassol School Board has also been informed about the incident, which within the day is expected to assess the amount of damage.
Shots fired at a car in Limassol outside the home of a 52-year-old man occurred at dawn.
At around 4.10 in the morning today, information was received about shots fired at a vehicle in Limassol.
Members of the Police went to the spot, where examinations carried out at the scene revealed at first sight that an hour earlier, and specifically around 3.10 in the morning, two shots were fired from a shotgun. One shot hit and broke the two rear windows of a car owned by a 52-year-old man, which was parked on the street outside his home, while the second shot hit the house.
Examinations will continue this morning by the ICF Limassol.
The Paphos Police arrested a 24-year-old man as part of an investigation into a case of theft from a residence in Chlorakas. A second person is wanted in the case.
According to the Spokesperson of the Paphos ADE and Head of the Paphos ICF, Michalis Nikolaou, it was reported by a permanent resident of Cyprus that between January 21 and February 20, when he was absent abroad, there was a burglary at his residence.
According to the complaint, electronics were allegedly stolen from the house, as well as his car, which was parked in the garage, after the key had previously been stolen from his residence.
Further examinations revealed testimony against two 24-year-olds and arrest warrants were issued against them. One of them was arrested on Tuesday in Polis Chrysochous and the second is wanted.
* * * * * *
The 14 Indian workers, for whom there are serious indications, were allegedly treated as modern slaves, who were victims of labour exploitation in a livestock farm in the Achna Forest, which belongs to a Greek Cypriot. The foreigners, who have been transferred to a safe place, began to break their silence and describe what they unbelievably claim to be experiencing, some for one and a half and years, others for a year. According to information from "F", in addition to the fact that they were allegedly forced to work seven days a week without rest and without salary, they complained that they were being threatened and that they were living in appalling conditions in a premises.
This is the largest case of labour exploitation investigated by the Anti-Trafficking Office, due to the large number of victims, all of whom are men between the ages of 20 and 30.
The young Indians, who came legally to our country in order to work, allegedly lived in a premises on the site of the livestock unit, which did not have hot water and did not have beds for everyone. Some even, according to the complaints, were forced to sleep in pairs in small bunks. In addition, they were allegedly forced to work exhausting hours, without rest days and without being paid overtime, with their employer withholding their wages as well as their travel documents. Before the Police there are also complaints about threats to dismiss workers, who complained about their working conditions.
The workers seem to have endured this situation until very specific information about their working conditions reached the Anti-Trafficking Office (GEP) of the Police headquarters. On February 8, members of the GEP, in cooperation with the British Bases, the SWS, the Office of Labor Inspection and other state agencies, raided the livestock farm and found the 14 Indians in poor condition, detecting signs of their victimization.
The workers are considered victims of labor exploitation and that is why they were immediately transferred to a safe place, for the purpose of their protection. Already, through an interpreter, they began to give multi-page testimonies. Once the taking of statements is completed, the very serious case is expected to be registered before a Court.
As the head of the Anti-Trafficking Office, Eleni Michael, told "F", arrangements are being made for the 14 workers to find another job, since this is what the legislation provides for and this is their wish. "There is co-management in this case with the Social Welfare Services and the Labour Inspection Office, due to the large number of victims. Their basic needs have been met, pending the completion of the police examinations."
