Cyprus president fires top officials after prisoner escape scandal
7:47 AM EDT, September 30, 2024
The President of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, took decisive action after the scandalous escape of a prisoner sentenced to life imprisonment. He dismissed the police chief, his deputy, and the acting head of prison services.
A 42-year-old man, who was serving a life sentence for killing his 24-year-old partner and her four-year-old daughter, managed to escape from prison transport.
The incident occurred on Thursday, and the escapee was spotted on Sunday while shopping in a store in the city of Limassol.
This incident infuriated President Christodoulides, who dismissed the deputy police chief and the acting head of prison services.
Three policemen and four guards suspended
President Christodoulides announced the dismissals urgently, immediately upon returning from New York City, where he attended the UN General Assembly session.
In relation to the events, three policemen and four guards responsible for the prisoner’s transportation security were suspended. Additionally, a 26-year-old man suspected of aiding in the escape was detained.
The prisoner's escape outraged the Cypriot public opinion and tainted the reputation of the national police.
The President of Cyprus is grappling with the growing problem of public perception of corruption and incompetence among officials.
