Pafos Live 15 August 2026
On the instructions of Mr. Panikos Stavrou, Deputy Chief of Police, three members of the Police, aged 36, 43 and 44, were suspended today.
A case of assault causing actual bodily harm, which was allegedly committed in the early hours of August 13, 2026, in Paphos, is being investigated against them. It should be noted that at the time of the incident, the three members of the Police were off duty.
The case is being investigated by the Paphos Police Department.
* * * * * *
Following information about the injury of a 29-year-old woman, the Police proceeded at noon, yesterday, to arrest a 36-year-old man, to facilitate investigations.
The 36-year-old is being investigated for the offenses of attempted murder, acts intended to cause grievous bodily harm or to prevent arrest, abduction or kidnapping or deprivation of liberty with the intention of subjecting a person to grievous bodily harm, assault causing actual bodily harm, threat and offenses of violence against women.
The above offenses appear to have been committed between the dates of August 12 and 13, 2026, in Nicosia.
The 29-year-old visited Nicosia General Hospital, where she was found to have bruises, swellings and haematomas on various parts of her body. After receiving first aid, he was discharged.
The 36-year-old is expected to appear before the Nicosia District Court tomorrow, for the issuance of a detention order.
The TAE of Nicosia is investigating the case.
* * * * * *
The Police proceeded to arrest a 39-year-old man, as part of the investigation of a case of assault and injury, committed last night, in the province of Limassol, against a 39-year-old man.
According to the data under investigation, around 8.30 last night, in the area of Limassol, the 39-year-old was attacked by another person. He was transported by ambulance to Limassol General Hospital, where he was found to have suffered a bruise on his face, believed to have been caused by a sharp object. After the 39-year-old received treatment, he was discharged.
From the examinations carried out by members of the Police, evidence emerged against a 39-year-old man. The 39-year-old suspect was identified by the members of the Police, who proceeded to arrest him, by virtue of a court warrant.
The case is being investigated by the TAE of Limassol.
* * * * * *
Filenews
Newer information emerges about the bloody incident that took place on Friday morning in a building under construction in the Zakaki area, in Limassol, with the victim being a 24-year-old builder. Arrest warrants have been issued against two persons and they are wanted, while the injured man is being treated out of danger.
The Police were informed shortly after 10 in the morning that a 24-year-old man had been taken injured with a knife to the Limassol General Hospital. Members of the TAE went to the hospital and, from the examinations that followed, testimony was obtained according to which the victim was working in a building under construction in Zakaki when two persons went to the scene.
After an argument, one of the two allegedly pulled out a knife and injured the 24-year-old in the abdomen and legs. The two suspects then left the scene.
An officer and members of the Limassol Police Department carried out on-site inspections at the building. The scene was photographed and various items were received, which are expected to be sent for scientific examinations.
According to the treating doctors, the 24-year-old is out of danger and has superficial injuries to the abdomen and legs, while further assessment of his condition by an orthopaedist is expected.
The investigations of the Limassol Police Department continue to locate and arrest the two suspects.
* * * * * *
Eight arrests were made last night by the Police, as part of its targeted preventive operations.
The arrests were made for various offenses, such as, among others, assault and injury, burglary and theft, illegal possession of property, illegal stay in the territory of the Republic, as well as for traffic offenses, such as driving under the influence of alcohol.
As part of these operations, during the night, 586 vehicles were stopped for inspection and 863 persons were checked. At the same time, 46 inspections of premises were carried out, with the aim of dealing with phenomena of delinquency, from which seven complaints emerged.
During traffic checks carried out, 236 complaints were made, concerning various traffic violations, while 15 investigated cases of traffic violations also emerged. As part of the police examinations, 22 vehicles were detained.
Of the complaints made about traffic violations, 84 concerned exceeding the speed limit and 16 complaints related to driving under the influence of alcohol.
Also, a case of driving under the influence of drugs emerged, after preliminary drug tests. For driving under the influence of alcohol, 267 checks were carried out on vehicle drivers, while for driving under the influence of drugs, six driver checks were carried out.
Policing operations, for the prevention and suppression of crime, continue every day, with an enhanced police presence, targeted controls and immediate operational action, in order to protect citizens and ensure public order.
* * * * * *
A case of arson is being investigated by the Police in Famagusta.
In a relevant announcement by the Police, it is stated that around 4:00 in the morning today (15/08), a fire broke out in a motorcycle and vehicle rental store, in the area of Protaras, Famagusta province.
Members of the Police went to the scene for examinations, as well as members of the Fire Service, who extinguished the fire.
A number of four-wheeled motorcycles and buggy vehicles were destroyed by the fire.
From the examinations carried out so far by members of the Police, evidence of arson emerges.
The scene was cordoned off, for examinations by the Police and the Fire Service, in order to determine the causes of the fire.
The TAE of Famagusta is investigating.
* * * * * *
Cy Mail
An independent criminal investigation has been opened into allegations made by Ioanna Fotiou, known publicly as Annie Alexui, against seven police officers.Fotiou said on Friday that she had been informed by the watchdog tasked with investigating complaints against the police (Aadipa) that two criminal investigators had been appointed to examine her complaints.
She said she was preparing to consult her lawyers about how she would give evidence and expressed a preference to do so online.
The complaints were first submitted in April after Justice Minister Costas Fitiris directed the material to the independent authority.
The authority subsequently informed attorney-general George Savvides and requested that an independent criminal investigator be appointed.
Fotiou has accused seven officers of misconduct and corruption but has repeatedly said the complaints submitted so far represent only part of the material she claims to possess.
“There are other police officers about whom I have much more serious material,” she said.
Among the senior officers she has publicly accused is deputy police chief Michalis Katsounotos.
Her allegations against him concern what she describes as the protection of criminal interests and failures to properly investigate serious cases.
Katsounotos has previously been the subject of separate allegations by former central prisons director Anna Aristotelous, who accused him of abusing his authority and colluding with a convicted prisoner to obtain compromising material against her.
An independent investigation found no evidence of corruption, while the attorney-general decided against prosecution on public interest grounds.
Fotiou has also raised the unresolved 2012 death of 17-year-old Andreas Loizou at the Mouttayiaka underpass in Limassol.
At the time, Katsounotos was head of Limassol traffic police.
The case became the subject of allegations of a cover-up involving a high-ranking politician’s daughter, although no charges were brought and authorities attributed missing records to technical difficulties.
Another senior officer named by Fotiou is deputy police chief Panikos Stavrou.
In May, she published extracts from a sworn statement connected to the investigation into the murder of Alexis Mavromichalis, known himself as Alexui, and claimed the material supported allegations that Stavrou had received money from individuals involved in organised crime.
The affidavit contained a witness account referring to contacts within the police who could allegedly “arrange their business” and included a reference to “Panikos”.
It also alleged that Stavrou appeared in footage receiving a briefcase containing money.
The alleged footage was said to have been stored on a USB device later recovered by police, although the device was reportedly damaged and its contents could not be retrieved.
Those allegations had previously been examined by the police’s internal affairs service, though the investigation did not establish evidence of criminal wrongdoing against Stavrou and no offences were substantiated.
No alleged video has been publicly produced by Fotiou.
Fotiou has also accused other police officers and public officials of misconduct, claiming that she has recordings, videos, screenshots and other material supporting her allegations.
She has said that she became so distrustful of Cypriot authorities that she sought asylum in Russia.
“I don’t know why we had to get this far for this to happen,” she said on Friday, referring to the appointment of investigators.
She also claimed that she had been forced to document her interactions with police herself because she believed her allegations would otherwise be dismissed.
Fitiris has repeatedly said that allegations must be submitted through established legal procedures rather than social media.
Fotiou had previously insisted she wanted to provide recordings of conversations with police officers and other material she claimed showed misconduct and cover-ups.
Authorities have also been examining to obtain her formal testimony while she remains abroad.
The case is separate from the 13 arrest warrants issued against Fotiou in January following complaints by police officers, MPs and members of the public over alleged offences including harassment, the publication of false information and violations concerning personal data.
Among those who filed complaints were Katsounotos, former Paphos police chief Nicos Tsappis and other serving officers.
A 21-year-old man was remanded for three days on Saturday after police found cannabis on his moped during a traffic stop in Nicosia, police said.
Officers stopped the moped on Aeschylou street at around 3.40pm on Friday.
Checks found that the 21-year-old was driving without a licence or insurance, while the moped did not have a valid MOT certificate or road tax.
During a search of the vehicle, officers found around 40 grams of cannabis and arrested the man.
Police subsequently searched two residences used by the suspect, where they seized €8,800 in cash, a further 45 grams of cannabis, five grams of cannabis resin, a digital precision scale and three mobile phones.
The suspect appeared before Nicosia district court on Saturday, which ordered that he be held in custody for three days while investigations continue.
