The criminal prosecution of the Deputy Chief of Police Andreas Kyriakou for leaking information and evidence, is suggested by the Attorney General Costas Clerides in an announcement regarding his conclusion about the possibility of committing criminal offenses by members of the Police in the case of Ag.
As it is specifically mentioned in the conclusion “from the whole of the collected direct and incidental testimony, it seems that the Deputy Chief of Police, A. Kyriakou, is involved in the issue of the leak. Under the circumstances, the criminal offense under Article 135 of the Penal Code Chapter 154 for Violation of Service Privacy is substantiated, in connection with which its prosecution is justified. "
With regard to the other issues investigated by the Legal Service as shown in the finding, there are suggestions for disciplinary misconduct. In particular, the microscope of the four investigators of the case included the relations of police officers with criminal data, involvement of a Central Prison jailer in the case, leak of a study conducted by the Chief of Police as well as the management of Interpol by the Cyprus Police. Interpol member Nicosia's communication with the Serbian executor.
Following is the announcement of the Attorney General “The Attorney General of the Republic, on 9.8.2016, appointed 3 independent criminal investigators to conduct a criminal investigation regarding the possibility of committing a criminal offense under other offenses under any person in relation to any person. persons in cases of entanglement, corruption and other offenses.
The 3 criminal investigators were:
1. Andreas Paschalidis, former Judge of the Supreme Court and current President of the Independent Authority for the Investigation of Claims and Complaints Against the Police.
2. Panagiotis Pelagias, former senior police officer.
3. Agamemnon Dimitriou, former police officer.
The above investigators were appointed on the basis of specific information transmitted to the Attorney General by the Minister of Justice and Public Order and by the Chief of Police.
The letter of the Chief of Police referred to data that emerged as a result of the investigation of the quadruple murder committed on 23.6.2016 in Ayia Napa with the victims Fano Kalopsidiotis, businessman, Elias Chatziefthimiou, sergeant of the Second Police Headquarters, in the Information Branch Skevi Hatziefthymiou and the Albanian-born Jani Vogli, one of the two executors. The letter from the Minister of Justice and Public Order referred to information provided by the Serbian police authorities about the arrival in Cyprus of assassins paid for murder and how to manage this information, the possible involvement of a prison guard in the case and the manner Interpol Nicosia handled information by Interpol Serbia.
Following the assignment of a time extension requested by the investigators for the completion of the investigation assigned to them, their conclusion, accompanied by the received deposits and documents, was handed over to the Attorney General on 8.1.2017.
The delivered report and the collected material evidence were thoroughly studied by officials of the Legal Service and by the Attorney General. As a result, it was deemed necessary or useful as investigators further investigated certain issues, ensuring further testimony from specific individuals. The supplementary material collected by the 3 investigators was forwarded to the Legal Service on 31.3.2017 and further study was carried out to verify the possibility of committing criminal offenses against any person.
The main points, conclusions and findings that emerge from all the collected evidence, by thematic unit, are the following:
1. Information from Interpol Serbia on "Death Contract".
This issue has been explored from three perspectives:
a. Management by the Cyprus Police of the information obtained from Interpol Serbia,
b. Interpol member Cyprus telephone contact with Serbian crime organizer,
c. Leakage of the contents of the Interpol file in the media, and
d. Related issues.
a. Management by the Cyprus Police of the information obtained by Interpol Serbia
The involved Cypriot police officers involved in handling the information obtained by Interpol Serbia about a "death contract" were: The Deputy Chief of Police, the Assistant Chief of Operations, a Senior Lieutenant and a Lieutenant.
The findings of the study are that although specific and important information has been obtained from the Serbian authorities, it has not been taken seriously and has not been adequately or thoroughly investigated. There are, therefore, omissions and / or mishandling.
There is no evidence that the above acts and / or omissions were intentional, in order to substantiate criminal offenses, but specific acts or omissions of the aforementioned officers may constitute disciplinary offenses. It is up to the Chief of Police to address it.
b. Telephone communication between a member of Interpol Cyprus and a Serbian criminal organizer
Following a request from the Cypriot Police to Interpol Serbia to provide them with specific telecommunications information, the latter provided the name of a Serbian citizen, who was considered the organizer of the murder and to whom a specific telephone number belonged. An Interpol Cyprus police officer, who was in charge of communicating with Interpol Serbia, called the Serbian organizer on the number recorded on paper by another colleague, which also included the words "Interpol Belgrade", believing that he was communicating with Interpol Serbia. This act certainly provoked various complications and the justified reactions of the Serbian authorities.
From the whole behavior of the Cypriot member of the Police Force and from the whole testimony, the commission of a criminal offense is not ascertained, but a suggestion is made to the leadership of the Police as it examines the possibility of committing disciplinary offenses against him.
c. Leakage of the contents of the Interpol file to the media
In connection with the confidential information provided by the Serbian authorities in the Cypriot authorities regarding the descent into Cyprus of executors for the purpose of murderous acts, two administrative investigations were carried out by the Police, which concerned the leak and publication in electronic and printed form. information. However, none of them resulted in a positive result in terms of the identity of the person or persons responsible for the leaks. The leaks concerned, if not the entire contents of the Interpol Cyprus file, the vast majority of it, including photographs of some documents.
In connection with this issue, his thorough investigation by investigators and all the evidence gathered, leads to the conclusion that the only person who could carry out the leak of this confidential and sensitive information, was the Deputy Chief of Police Mr. A. Kyriakou. The study and assessment of the evidence as a whole leads to a conclusion of evidence of a criminal case and justifies the initiation of criminal proceedings for Violation of Service Confidential under Article 135 of Criminal Code Chapter 154, as well as the related offense of Article 16 Security Regulations for Evaluated Information, Documents and Materials and Related Law Issues of 2002 - Law no. 216 (I) / 2002.
2. Involvement of a Central Prison guard in the case
According to a testimony received, on March 21.3.2016, 1,000, the amount of € XNUMX was sent from Cyprus through Cyprus by the Western Union company, in a bank account belonging to the Serb, allegedly as the organizer of the murders, by order of M. Christodoulou, otherwise Benny, who was convicted. recently sentenced to life in prison for the quadruple murder. That amount was sent with the personal participation of the jailer of the Central Prison. Testimony shows that the amount was sent to deal with the expenses of the Serbian organizer, who would come to Cyprus to kill some people, not related to the quadruple murder in Ayia Napa.
In the absence of evidence that the custodian knew that the money he had sent was related to an intentional murder, and also in the absence of evidence that he had offered or would receive any money or other benefits, he could not do so. against him.
The competent authority, the competent authority, shall investigate the investigation of the possibility of committing disciplinary offenses, including the offense of Article 60 (2) (e) in conjunction with Article 73 (1) (b) of the Convention. Public Service Law - Law no. 1/90, as regards the conduct of that particular guard.
3. Suspicious relations of members of the Cyprus Police with criminal elements
According to various testimonies, 4 members of the Police Force, ie 3 police officers and a lieutenant, for several years, maintained close friendly relations with the murdered businessman F. Kalopsidiotis, who was killed in the quadruple murder of Ayia Napa.
A number of statements, from newsletters and other documents from the Police, but also from information collected, show that some of these members of the Force seem to have maintained professional relations with the same businessman, such as providing him with personal security services. and the management of business activities in assets belonging to him. The information regarding these relations and connections of the members of the Force has been in the knowledge of the Police since 2011.
Nevertheless, in addition to imposing disciplinary penalties on some of these members of the Force on similar issues and transfers to the purpose of removing them from the hearth of this relationship, it is found that no serious and formal investigation has ever been carried out into these criminal offenses. or disciplinary in nature.
Unfortunately, the lack of timely investigation by the Police, or the lack of investigation of this unacceptable situation, made it particularly difficult to substantiate specific criminal offenses. The long-standing reluctance of other members of the Force to give more complete testimony on these issues was not helpful, with the result that the available evidence against these individuals remains at the level of simple information and / or testimony, which cannot be accepted. by a criminal court, or will be of extremely reduced gravity.
An extensive study of the testimonies received both initially and in addition by the investigators shows that in order to substantiate specific criminal offenses against the aforementioned police officers, there are significant gaps in proving necessary evidence of the offenses. Such elements are e.g. the proof of an employer's relationship, the existence of a testimony for remuneration or consideration, the possible possession of a weapon due to illegality, etc.
With this data, and in order to deal with this behavior of members of the Force as evidenced by the testimony, a strong suggestion is submitted to the leadership of the Police, as even belatedly, despite the inherent difficulties, to take this issue seriously and proceed in the investigation of the possibility of committing disciplinary offenses by these members of the Force. Tolerance, which has been demonstrated for a number of years, has contributed to the continuation of their provocative behavior, and must by no means continue, giving false messages to themselves and to other members of the Force.
4. Leakage of the study entitled "The prevention and treatment of corruption in the Cyprus Police", day. 20.1.2015
This study was prepared following the instructions of the current Chief of Police, by a five-member committee chaired by Assistant Chief St. Papatheodorou and was handed over to the Chief himself on 20.1.15. Although the study was not specifically graded, it is nevertheless considered an official document, which is handled internally only for official purposes.
Nevertheless, on 5.7.2016, a Member of Parliament demonstrated a copy of the study during the discussion of Police issues before the Parliamentary Committee on Institutions, Values and the Commissioner for Administration. Also, the next day, excerpts from the study, which was owned by the MP, were published in a daily newspaper.
From the whole of the collected direct and incidental testimony, it seems that the Deputy Chief of Police, Mr. A. Kyriakou, is involved in the issue of the leak. Under the circumstances, the criminal offense of Article 135 of the Penal Code Chapter 154 for Violation of Service Confidentiality is substantiated, in relation to which its prosecution is justified ".
Source: Liberal