Filenews 8 January 2025
The 39-year-old escapee who escaped from Nicosia General Hospital yesterday was arrested on Tuesday night (07/01).
According to information, members of the Special Anti-Terrorist Squad (EAO), after conducting investigations, located him near the industrial area of Latsia.
It is recalled that the Police had launched a manhunt to locate the 39-year-old undertrial who, on Tuesday afternoon, managed to escape from Nicosia General Hospital where he was being treated, after swallowing two blades.
As Filenews reported earlier, the 39-year-old managed to escape at the police shift change.
It was found that the Romanian escapee who had been detained until his trial for burglary and theft, while handcuffed to his hospital bed, managed to remove it. In fact, according to testimony from a person who was at the scene, flesh remnants were found in the handcuffs.
The escape happened, according to Filenews, at the time of the shift rotation. Two members of the Police went to the hospital to replace their colleagues who were finishing their shift and there something happened and as a result the prisoner escaped their attention and found a way to escape.
It is noted that the 39-year-old, who was transferred on the day of the Epiphany to Nicosia General Hospital after swallowing blades, was given X-rays that found the presence of two blades in his body.
The new escape further aggravated the situation in the Police, which is strongly criticized because after the escape of the life-serving prisoner some months ago, as they failed to find ways and implement systems to prevent such actions that expose them irreparably.
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On 08.01.2025, the Nicosia Police Department proceeded to the arrest of a Police Officer for offences relating to, Interference in Judicial Proceedings, Threatening, Assault causing Real Bodily Harm and Stalking.
The complaint was made on 07.01.2025, at the ICF of Nicosia, by a 48-year-old woman.
According to the Police, the process of investigating the case began immediately with the complaint of the complainant and the Police proceeded to all appropriate actions with absolute transparency.
"The Police are responsible for ensuring the safety of citizens and such actions are not consistent with the values, principles and standards that we adopt and seek to apply in our Organization."
The complaint is being investigated by the ICF of Nicosia.
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Police are investigating a robbery case that occurred in the evening hours yesterday in an area of Larnaka district.
According to the police, the victim of the robbery is a food distributor, who was attacked by three unknown persons.
According to the evidence under examination, at around 9.20 last night, while the 22-year-old food delivery man was parked on his motorcycle in an area of Larnaka, he was approached by three unknown persons, who were riding in a car.
The attackers, who had their facial features covered with balaclavas, threatened the delivery man, one with a gun and the other two with knives and managed to take away a sum of money, his motorcycle keys as well as a mobile phone.
The Kition Police Station continues the examinations.
It is recalled that yesterday, there were two more attacks against food distributors in the districts of Larnaka and Limassol.
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Police are investigating a case involving the offences of conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor, rioting, assault causing actual bodily harm, causing malicious damage, stabbing and causing alarm. The incident took place yesterday morning in a shelter for unaccompanied minors in Limassol and concerns the attack of a group of young people against two women.
According to the evidence under examination, earlier yesterday morning, members of an international organization for migration were in the camp, in order to talk with its residents.
Upon leaving the camp, eight young persons (six minors and two adults) living in it, started throwing stones, sticks and other objects at an adjacent house, damaging a car and slightly injuring a woman in the head.
During the stone-throwing of the house, residents came to help to repel the residents of the structure, resulting in the injury of an underage tenant, while damage was caused to the equipment of the structure.
The injured woman as well as the minor went to Limassol General Hospital, where they received first aid and were discharged.
The eight youths were interrogated and charged in writing with the offences they committed, and after the completion of the procedures, they were transferred to other accommodation facilities.
The ICF Limassol continues the examinations.
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Twenty-one traffic complaints were made as part of a campaign by the Pafos Traffic Police to prevent crime and road traffic collisions in the last 24 hours.
According to the Police, members of the Pafos Traffic Police, in cooperation with the Paphos Traffic Authority, in the framework of a coordinated operation, carried out 92 checks and recorded 21 traffic complaints from 07:00 on Tuesday until today at 07:00.
Of the 21 complaints, two concerned driving under the influence of alcohol, one related to driving under the influence of drugs and the remaining minor traffic offences, such as driving without a driving licence, without a helmet, without lights, without free hands.
Coordinated operations will continue at a later stage.
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Revelations follow up on the alleged involvement of a 54-year-old lawyer and a 44-year-old police officer in the escape of a 49-year-old Swedish wanted man on December 22 from a private clinic in Larnaca, where he was being held under guard. The three suspects were taken again on Wednesday morning to the Larnaca District Court to obtain a new detention order.
As reported to the court by the examiner of the case, senior lieutenant of the ICF Headquarters, Andreas Andreou, during the investigations of the last few days, some of the allegations of the Swede were confirmed, as he implicated the other two in his interrogation. In his testimony, the 49-year-old said his 54-year-old lawyer, introduced by the 44-year-old police officer, had offered to marry him in order to establish ties with the Republic. During his hospitalization, the lawyer allegedly brought a plainclothes priest to the clinic to discuss marriage. According to the investigator of the case, this claim was confirmed after obtaining relevant testimony, while notes with information about how a Catholic marriage was performed were found at the lawyer's house. Photos were also found depicting the two with wedding rings on their fingers.
As far as the participation of the police officer is concerned, this seems to be greater than initially estimated. It is recalled that the 44-year-old police officer of Oroklini Station had met the Swede in the detention center, where he was transferred and proposed the 44-year-old as a lawyer. In return, he allegedly asked the prisoner to buy his house because he was facing financial problems after his separation. He reportedly suggested that the Swede continue to stay in the house and pay him rent. According to the investigator in the case, police confirmed the Swede's claim that the officer bought the phone cards allegedly handed to him by the lawyer, as well as the sneakers he wore during the escape. The shoes were worth €98 and were paid for with the police officer's bank card. In his testimony, the 49-year-old said his lawyer said the shoes cost €300.
New evidence that seems to implicate the two was also brought by the disclosure of telecommunications data on the mobile phone found in the possession of the Swede when he was arrested, on December 23, in a building under construction in Larnaca. The court was told the three suspects were talking via secure apps (whatsApp and telegram). Specifically, according to what was said in court, a conversation between the lawyer and the police officer who notes the size of the Swede's shoes was detected. A conversation between the detainee and the police officer was also detected, during which the former asked him to get the computer and the three mobile phones in the possession of the police. The police officer allegedly wrote to him that these were confiscated items and the Swede asked him to retrieve the data from the seized items. In another text message, the Swede allegedly informed the police officer that he gave another €10,000 to the lawyer. It is recalled that he had sent her, through his son, another €5,000, while he transferred to her a luxury limited edition car, telling her that it was worth more than €100,000. Police confiscated the vehicle yesterday and found that it was purchased in August 2024 for €75,000 from a junkyard in Limassol. The suspects were remanded in custody for six days by the court. It is noted that the proceedings were also attended by journalists who rushed from Sweden, where the issue of the 49-year-old's escape is of great interest.
It is recalled that two other members of the Police were suspended for the case.He is a Contract Special Police Officer (MSS), who guarded the 49-year-old Swede during the escape, as well as a duty officer of the Larnaca Police Authority. The latter allegedly irregularly instructed the SAR to take over the 49-year-old's guard, despite the fact that this duty is not part of his duties.
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The mobilization and presence of the Police on the road network was intense during the Christmas, New Year and Epiphany holidays, in the context of actions to prevent road collisions and consolidate road safety. According to a relevant announcement, a total of 3,615 complaints were made by drivers for traffic violations.
From December 23 until January 06, the Police conducted coordinated operations, with motorized and pedestrian patrols, as well as increased checks, on the road network. Particular emphasis was placed on those offences that have been proven to be the main causes of fatal and serious road collisions, such as speeding, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, failure to wear seat belts and safety helmets, use of a mobile phone while driving, and reckless, dangerous or negligent driving.
A total of 3,615 complaints for various traffic violations resulted from traffic checks carried out by members of the Police and in particular by members of the Traffic Police Departments, the Police Headquarters and the District Police Directorates. Of these, 1,121 complaints concerning exceeding the speed limit and 241 complaints concerning driving under the influence of alcohol stand out. Also standing out are 197 complaints concerning failure to use seat belts and 15 complaints concerning failure to use a child seat, 15 complaints concerning failure to use a protective helmet by motorcyclists, 41 complaints concerning failure to use a protective helmet by users of personal mobility devices – e-scooters and cyclists, as well as 133 complaints concerning the use of a mobile phone or other object while driving.
Regarding offences related to drivers' documents, a total of 110 complaints were made for driving without a driver's license and without a safety certificate. Regarding offences relating to documents and suitability of vehicles, 161 complaints were made for driving a vehicle without a certificate of fitness, as well as 53 complaints for driving a vehicle that is declared immobilized. During roadworthiness tests for vehicles, 134 complaints were made, of which 37 concerned the operation of vehicle lamps and 15 concerned worn tyres.
Also worth mentioning are the 326 complaints for illegal parking, of which 158 complaints concerned illegal parking in areas for people with disabilities, as well as 232 complaints concerning traffic sign violations. There were also 80 complaints concerning driving offences on one-way roads and 30 complaints concerning irregular overtaking and irregular use of traffic lanes.
The Police continue their traffic checks daily, around the clock, throughout the road network all over Cyprus. "The sole objective is to consolidate road awareness and proper road behaviour by all road users, to prevent road collisions and increase safety on the road network," the announcement concludes.
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His colleagues arrested a second member of the police in Nicosia, this time in a corruption case.
According to a police announcement, today, 08.01.2025, the Internal Audit Service of the Police (Y.E.E.A.) proceeded to the arrest of a special police officer for offences related to corruption, abuse of power, decimation of a public official, etc.
"The leadership of the Police stresses once again that such behaviours are reprehensible and unacceptable and will be treated as such with zero tolerance," the statement said.
The Police remains committed to its mission and committed to serving society with integrity and respect.
