Pafos Live 10 April 2026
The Police are investigating a new case of online fraud with investments in cryptocurrencies in the province of Paphos, following a complaint submitted to the Paphos TAE by a 62-year-old woman, from whose account, according to the complaint made, a sum of money amounting to €11.005 was stolen.
According to a Police announcement, the 62-year-old complained that an unknown person contacted her yesterday, through an electronic communication platform and claimed that he can help her to get money back from an investment in cryptocurrencies, which she did. After the 62-year-old was convinced by the suspect, she allowed him access to her mobile phone, via the internet, so that the money from her investment could be transferred to her bank account.
The 62-year-old later found that her access to her online bank account had been cut off and that a sum of €11.005 had been withdrawn from her online bank account, which was transferred to an unknown account. The case is being investigated by the Financial Crime Investigation Unit, of the Paphos Police Department.
The Police, on the occasion of this new fraud complaint, recommends caution to the public. Please note that passwords to online accounts, bank account and card details, as well as other personal data, must be protected and never disclosed to any persons.
In relation to the conduct of any transactions and investments over the internet, the public is urged to cooperate only with recognized companies and approved advisors, for any financial investments.
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A case of online fraud with loot of more than €93.000 is being investigated by the Police. The case was reported today to the TAE Nicosia by a representative of a company in Nicosia.
According to the complaint, on January 21, the company received a message, via email, from a partner company, instructing to pay an invoice to a specific bank account.
On March 3, the company received a new message from an account that looked like the affiliate company's email account, in which a person posing as its representative requested the same payment to a different bank account.
The company transferred €93,200 to the new account in a bank in a European country. Later, however, it was found that the new message was sent by fraudsters.
On the occasion of the new fraud case, the Police recommends that citizens always verify the messages by telephone with the partners to whom the payment is to be made.
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Filenews
A 36-year-old Turk, Hakan Erkan, who allegedly presented himself as a metaphysical expert deceiving citizens, was arrested in Larnaca three days ago. The 36-year-old was wanted in Turkey, according to reports in the Turkish Cypriot press, for at least nine cases related to fraud, threats and insult.
The issue was brought to light today by the Greek website Proto Thema, stating that he seems to have entered illegally from the occupied territories into the free areas, from an uncontrolled point. It is noted that the arrest of this person was not made public by the Cypriot Police.
Filenews requested information from the Police, after the issue was made public in Greece and we were told that a person with the same name was arrested on April 7 in the area of Larnaca for illegal stay on the territory of the Republic of Cyprus. This person is in custody and the deportation procedures have already begun, as we were told. Because Turkey does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus, his deportation will take place through another European country, most likely from Greece.
Reports in the Turkish Cypriot press have been referring since last February to a possible escape of the wanted man to the occupied territories. Erkan allegedly exploited the religious feelings of citizens and proposed mystical and metaphysical solutions, extorting money from them. This person allegedly advertised the "services" online, while he had also served prison sentences in the past, among other things, for fraud.
According to reports in Turkey, the 36-year-old presented himself as a scholar of religion in advertisements with titles such as "metaphysical help" or "solution to personal problems". When he clicked on the ads, the interested party was led to a direct WhatsApp chat. There were promises of services that, among other things, included solving magic, energy healing, as well as reconnection.
According to the reports, similar services were also promoted on websites allegedly linked to his name. After convincing his victims, the "metaphysical expert" asked for sums of money.
Victims' complaints state that they paid tens of thousands of Turkish lira and were then asked for even more money, "without having the expected results".
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The Police arrested eight persons for different serious offenses during organized patrols aimed at preventing serious criminal acts and public safety.
As a result of the preventive operations, according to a Police announcement, eight persons were arrested for various offenses, such as, among others, assault, illegal possession of explosives, illegal possession of an offensive instrument, illegal possession of property, driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, as well as pending court fine warrants.
As part of these operations, during the night, 762 vehicles were stopped for inspection and 985 persons on board were checked. At the same time, 34 inspections of premises were carried out, with the aim of dealing with phenomena of delinquency, from which five complaints emerged.
During traffic checks carried out, 368 complaints were made, concerning various traffic violations, while 10 investigated cases of traffic violations also emerged. As part of the police examinations, 9 vehicles were detained.
Of the complaints made about traffic violations, 124 complaints for exceeding the speed limit stand out. Also standing out are the four (4) complaints about driving under the influence of alcohol, as well as the seven (7) cases of driving under the influence of drugs, which emerged after preliminary drug checks. For driving under the influence of alcohol, 117 checks were carried out on vehicle drivers, while for driving under the influence of drugs, 12 checks were carried out on drivers.
Coordinated policing operations, for the prevention and suppression of crime, continue daily, with enhanced police presence, targeted controls and immediate operational action, in order to protect citizens and ensure public order.
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For flagrant offenses, a man and a woman aged 45 and 38 were arrested today by members of the Police, in whose possession sums of money and a number of jewellery were found, the origin of which is being investigated. Members of the Police located the two suspects, following information about a possible theft of products from a store in the province of Famagusta.
Members of the Ayia Napa Police Station in particular, after receiving information about a possible theft, went to the store in the Ayia Napa area, where they located and checked the 45-year-old and a 38-year-old woman. In a subsequent investigation, members of the Police found in the possession of the 45-year-old, sums of money of €1,264 and 500 dollars, while in the possession of the 38-year-old they found six bracelets.
After not giving satisfactory explanations for the origin of the money and bracelets, the two suspects were arrested for the self-inflicted crime of illegal possession of property, with the Police investigating whether the found items are the product of theft.
The 45-year-old was also arrested for the self-inflicted offenses of assault against a police officer, resisting legal arrest, and causing concern in a public place, after being interrogated verbally, he started shouting and attacked the police, pushing them.
The Ayia Napa Police Station continues the examinations.
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Members of the Police arrested a 20-year-old man today, in connection with an investigated case of robbery, committed in July, 2025, in Larnaca, with the victims being two 52-year-old men.
As part of the investigation of the case, evidence emerged against the 20-year-old, against whom an arrest warrant was issued. He was located and arrested by members of the Police, around 4.00 pm yesterday and was taken into custody for the purpose of police examinations.
According to the data under examination, around 2.00 in the morning on July 10, on the beach of Finikoudes, in Larnaca, the two 52-year-olds were approached by a number of young people, who forcibly snatched his personal purse from one 52-year-old. The bag contained the 52-year-old's mobile phone, identity card, bank cards and a sum of money.
The case is being investigated by the Larnaca Police Department.
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New arrests are expected in relation to the fierce clash that took place in the morning hours of Holy Thursday (9/4) in Trachoni, which started with minors and then took on dimensions, with the involvement of their parents.
Three people are still being treated at the Limassol General Hospital, one of whom has a serious jaw injury and may undergo surgery.
So far, two people have been arrested, while, according to information from Filenews, the cycle of arrests is expected to grow in the coming hours, as new court warrants have already been issued against other people involved.
The same information states that the incident started with a quarrel between minors of Greek Cypriot and Syrian origin, which quickly developed into a fight, resulting in injuries and extensive damage to vehicles.
As we were told, the cause of the clash seems to have been personal differences between the minors, which allegedly started from the school environment where they attend. The tension, however, was not limited there.
The minors seem to have arranged an appointment near a church in Trachoni and at some point the parents of the minors involved from both sides rushed to the scene to take the floor. Instead of defusing the situation, their presence seems to have led to further tension, resulting in a new fight, this time between parents.
It is recalled that the British Bases Police rushed to the scene, which responded immediately and made arrests.
Investigations are in full swing while there seem to be racist motives behind the case.
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For another 8 days, the detention order against a 43-year-old man was renewed today, Holy Thursday, in the context of an investigation of a case involving the usurpation of Greek Cypriot property, located in the occupied territories.
According to a Police announcement, the 43-year-old was arrested on 01/04/2026 and on 02/04/2026 he was brought before the Nicosia District Court, where a 7-day detention order had been issued against him.
He is being investigated for offenses concerning, among other things, conspiracy to commit a felony, fraudulent transactions and money laundering.
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The 42-year-old, who has already been convicted of another case and is now a defendant in the case of the attack on the lawyer of the Republic, which took place last Friday (3/4), was transferred under strict security measures on the morning of Holy Thursday. The case was referred to the Criminal Court room, which has a staircase connected to the detention center. This was done for security reasons, in view of what took place.
The case was referred for direct trial before the Permanent Criminal Court of Limassol, in a different composition from the three-member body that imposed the sentence on him, and was even set for a very short date, April 23. The 42-year-old faces the offense of causing grievous bodily harm, which, according to Article 231 of the Criminal Code CHAPTER 154, "whoever unlawfully causes grievous bodily harm to another is guilty of a felony and is subject to seven years in prison or a fine or both".
During the public prosecutor's speech, the facts of the attack were exposed. Specifically, the accused, after being sentenced to four years in the case of the abduction of his ex-partner and after leaving the three-member Body, said from his seat in the dock: "Four years for two cops?". Subsequently, on his way out and while accompanied by two members of the MMAD, he attacked the lawyer of the Republic, causing her a fractured nose and upper lip swelling.
The accused, according to the witness material and what was reported today during the referral process, was immobilized by members of the Police, while when his attention was drawn to the Law, he replied "it doesn't bother me". When questioned in relation to the present case, he did not say anything.
The case file includes testimonies from officials of the Court, who were eyewitnesses to the attack.
The accused is represented by the lawyer Katia Pieroudi in the present case, who did not raise any objection. The 42-year-old is charged with four previous convictions, while as the Court noted, he has shown violent behaviour.
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A multi-page testimony to the two criminal investigators who are investigating the possible responsibilities of prison guards and police officers, was given by the person who had reported his rape last August while he was incarcerated in the Central Prison.
After almost two months of efforts to arrange the appointment with the criminal investigators, this was finally achieved the day before yesterday, Holy Wednesday, in police detention centers, since this person is on trial awaiting the Court's decision on another criminal case. Information from "F" states that the criminal investigators Andreas Paschalidis, president of the Independent Authority for the Investigation of Allegations and Complaints against the Police, and Menelaos Tsangaridis, vice president of the Authority, had in the presence of the prisoner's lawyer Leto Kariolou, a long meeting (it lasted five hours) where he allegedly repeated what he experienced in the Central Prison while serving his sentence.
The former prisoner also referred to his complaints against members of the prison staff and later the Police investigators who undertook to investigate his complaint, for incomplete investigation. Especially for the prison guards, he complains of a delay in the investigation of his complaint, that they ignored his request to be transferred to another wing, as a result of which he was raped again as well as a delay in his examination by a doctor. It is noted that three successive investigative teams were set up in the Police to examine his complaint, after the failure of the first two to investigate and secure a relevant video published on the internet and related to the rape.
After receiving the testimony from the complainant, it is now expected that the criminal investigators will study it and begin taking testimonies from persons mentioned in it and in the end those named that with their acts or omissions, did not prevent the rape or did not carry out an adequate investigation to investigate all aspects of the case will be summoned.
It is noted that his lawyer had complained to the Prison Administration that she ignored her client's request for a change of wing after the first night of the rape. "He asked to change wings to be safe. The specific prison guard who received his request did not even ask why my client was asking for his request and told him to repeat his request from Monday. After refusing to follow or take into account his request for a change of wing, another night of rape followed," he said. He also complained of a delay in the examination by a doctor, psychologist and medical examiner. Ms. Kariolou had stated that her client was forced to sign that he has no complaint from the management or any other person in the prison. She stressed that "no one informed my client about his rights as a victim of serious crime. For the first time, the investigators of the TAE handed him the booklet with the rights of the victims in my presence last Saturday, September 27."
Parenthetically, it is stated that the first investigation of the Nicosia Police Department was interrupted after complaints about an incomplete investigation since the video was not received nor were statements taken from prison guards and on the instructions of the Legal Service, the Headquarters Police Department was assigned its continuation. He was then assigned to the Office for the Investigation of Cases for Vulnerable People.
Two in the dock for rape
For the rape case, criminal charges were brought against two persons, a convict and a former prisoner. The indictment against them includes six charges, relating to conspiracy to commit a felony, in violation of Article 371 of the Penal Code, Cap. 154 and rape, in violation of article 144 of the Penal Code, Cap. 154 as amended, while both are accused of sexually abusing their cellmate on August 15 and 16, 2025, in their cell in the Central Prison.
The case is set before the Criminal Court with its trial not having begun.
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A driver was reported by the Police for damage to municipal property in Protaras.
As the Municipality of Paralimni - Deryneia states in its announcement, "during the evening hours of Wednesday, April 8, 2026, a vehicle driver crashed into stainless steel piles, which were recently placed on the sidewalks for the safety of pedestrians and the prevention of illegal parking, resulting in serious damage".
It is reported that "the driver left the scene, while, after immediate intervention by the Police and cooperation with the Municipality, he was located and reported".
