Filenews 5 July 2023
Corruption cases investigated by the Police and, in coordination with the Legal Service, are evaluated and end up in the courts.
According to data obtained by "F", from 2016 until today, 64 corruption cases involving state officials or public officials have been examined.
Last Thursday, a meeting of the Coordination Group for the Investigation of Corruption Cases (consisting of the head of the criminal department of the Public Prosecutor's Office Elena Kleopa and the head of Department C 'Iakovos Ioannou and their associates) was held at the Legal Service, where the cases currently being investigated as well as the progress of those under trial were examined.
In a post, the Attorney General said that a review of corruption cases under investigation and trial was carried out and it was decided to organize training seminars for members of the Police on freezing and confiscation of assets.
As decided, where and where justified, the Police, in consultation with the Legal Service, will first request a warrant for freezing and, when convicted, for confiscating assets of a person who acquired them by exploiting his position.
According to a list drawn up by the two services, 64 corruption cases have been investigated in the last seven years, i.e. involving a state or local government official and accused of the crime of corruption. These cases, as we have been made clear, do not include the cases of SAPA and SALA Pafos, since they were previously examined.
Of the 64 cases, 28 are in the courts and 32 are under investigation by the Police and concern various cases of state officials who were reported either by the Auditor General for possible acts of corruption, or by superiors etc. These include cases of management of Turkish Cypriot property, cases against officers of the Department of Road Transport, etc.
As far as the naturalization program for foreign investors and business investors is concerned, the golden passports, that is, the 64 cases include two cases. One is already before the courts and is awaiting trial and concerns former Parliament President Dimitris Syllouris and former MP Christakis Giovanis.
The second concerns a large provider and is in the final stages of examination so that the relevant file can be forwarded to the Legal Service for study and instructions. Already at this time, according to "F's" information, the persons involved are called for questioning and then the file with the recommendations of the Police will be forwarded to the Attorney General's office.
The latest corruption case investigated by the authorities involved an official of the Civil Registry and Migration Department who was recently arrested after it was reported that temporary protection permits were given to Syrians with false documents. This case was registered last week in court and the indictment includes 14 persons, including the employee of the CRMD. Three cases have also been heard and one has been filed.
It is estimated that with the establishment of the Independent Authority Against Corruption and the opening of investigations into cases mainly related to corruption allegations, these will increase in the coming period.
