Specifically, the Famagusta Traffic Police officer, while exercising traffic control duties on the Larnaca-Ayia Napa highway, allegedly asked a tourist for payment in order to "save" him from an out-of-court fine for violating the limit of blood alcohol levels.
The police officer is being prosecuted for harassing a public official, extorting money from a public official for showing favoritism, being ordered by a public official, abuse of power and abuse of trust.
According to a complaint last Thursday, while performing traffic control duties on the Larnaca-Ayia Napa highway, he informed a tourist driver after a breathalyzer test that the reading was 55 micrograms instead of 22 and therefore he would have to pay the amount of € 300 out of court.
When the tourist reported that he did not have this amount with him then the police officer allegedly asked him for the amount of € 100 to let him go.
Eventually, the foreign visitor, after giving him -according to the complaint- all the money he had with him, about € 90, continued his journey.
Arriving at the hotel, he reported the incident to friends, who urged him to file a complaint with the Police.
The purpose of bringing him before the Famagusta District Court is to request the issuance of a detention order to facilitate police investigations.