President of Cyprus dismisses top officials after prison break scandal
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 Limassol.
This incident infuriated the President of Cyprus, Nikos 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 upon returning from New York City, where he attended the UN General Assembly session.
About 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 reportedly outraged the Cypriot public opinion and tainted the reputation of the national police.
The President of Cyprus is grappling with a growing problem of a general perception of corruption and incompetence among public officials.
