Thursday, January 4, 2024

CRIME ROUND UP

 Pafos Live 4 January 2024



A 39-year-old Greek Cypriot man is wanted by police in connection with the fire at the Christmas tree in Paphos municipality in Kennedy Square.

While initially the authorities ruled out the possibility of criminal activity, later through CCTV images in the area, they allegedly no longer ruled out the possibility that the fire was set maliciously.

The 39-year-old's movements were recorded by local CCTV and an arrest warrant was obtained against him.

* * * * * *


A 33-year-old woman was spotted driving under the influence of drugs yesterday afternoon.

According to Pafos Assistant Police Director of Operations, Michalis Nicolaou, on 3.1.24 at 13:20 noon, members of the "Z" team intercepted a vehicle driven by a 33-year-old woman permanent resident of Cyprus.

It emerged that she was allegedly driving without a driver's license, without insurance coverage with cancelled registration of the vehicle she was using and further in a drug test test she underwent had a positive indication.

The 33-year-old was subsequently charged in writing and released to be summoned later.

* * * * * *


Filenews


The investigative work of the Crime Detection Department of the Police Headquarters is at the final stage in relation to a case that has been under investigation since last November and concerns three officers of the Department of Customs and Excise and the loss of a number of seized electronic devices of great value.

As duly reported to "F", the Police examinations are at an advanced stage and results of scientific examinations are awaited. Once the case file is completed, it will be forwarded to the Attorney General, with suggestions that will be determined by the witness material and the evidence that will emerge.

The case against the three officers of the Department of Customs and Excise, as "F" is validly informed, arose last autumn following findings by other customs officers in relation to the warehouses of the Department, where a large number of electronic devices of value, such as mobile phones and electronic tablets of a well-known brand, were kept.

The goods in question had become the property of the Department of Customs and Excise following a legal procedure for their seizure. Under current law, they were either to be destroyed or disposed of by auction.

However, the three public officials were suspected of having misappropriated several of them. The initial complaint to the management of the Department of Customs and Excise stated that the officers may have conspired with each other in order to appropriate these devices, avoiding handing them over to licensed recyclers.

However, as our newspaper is informed, due to the volume of goods usually delivered for destruction, it is difficult or even impossible to identify the products themselves with the lists of deliverables to recyclers.

The case was initially reported to the Department of Customs and Excise last fall and investigated internally. In fact, the three complainants have been suspended in recent months. In November, as we noted, the examination of the case by the Police began, while it is being handled by the ICF Headquarters.

The case is classified as very serious, as one of the offences under investigation is "theft by public officials". It is a felony, which - if a person accused of it is convicted - carries a prison sentence of up to 14 years.

* * * * * *

The Police proceeded today to an immediate registration for trial of a case concerning the legislation on violence in sports venues, following the arrest of two persons aged 19, for possession and throwing of firecrackers, during last night's football match between OMONIA and AEL, at GSP stadium, in Nicosia.

The two 19-year-olds, at the start of the match, were spotted in the stands of the GSP stadium, wearing hoods and throwing firecrackers. The two were summoned to the police office in the stadium. In their possession, after a search, another nine firecrackers were found. They were arrested for flagrant offences and detained.

The case was registered on Wednesday morning for immediate trial by the Nicosia District Court, before which the two 19-year-old defendants appeared. They pleaded guilty to charges brought before the Court of Justice, relating to possession, transport, and throwing firecrackers, as well as concealment of a person.

The Court set March 26 as the next date for hearing and sentencing, and at the request of the police, issued temporary exclusion orders against the two 19-year-olds, valid until March 26.

The two 19-year-olds were released on conditions imposed by the court to ensure their presence at the next hearing.

The case was investigated by the Strovolos Police Station.

* * * * * *

The 40-year-old, who was arrested last July for leaking nude photos and videos of 12 women, including his current and ex-wife, will be indicted before the Larnaca Permanent Assize Court in January.

After months of investigations, the case file was forwarded to the Legal Service, which gave instructions to register a case against the 40-year-old, who was released, before the Court.

The 40-year-old's alleged activity was revealed to the 12 women when he accidentally sent some of their photos from his real account to an Instagram user who informed the victims. The first complaint against him was made on June 28, 2023 by his ex-wife, who complained to the police that nude photos of her and videos of erotic content, taken by the suspect when they were married, were circulating online.

A few days later, his current wife also filed a complaint, saying that the suspect had posted photos of herself and her relatives and friends in a Telegram and Instagram group, most of which he photomounted the naked bodies of other women.

In the following days, ten more women filed complaints with the special unit of the ICF of Larnaka. It is noted that searches were also carried out on a pornographic website, based in Limassol, to which the suspect allegedly sent material.