The course of the investigation and developments surrounding the 'Sandy' case, instead of shedding light on all aspects, are raising a host of questions and pointing increasingly towards a series of grey areas and uncertainty. The fact that, on the very same day the investigators’ report was delivered to the Chief of Police and subsequently to the Minister of Justice, another leak was recorded, reasonably raises questions which, given the seriousness of the case and the individuals named, must be answered with clarity and credibility.
The most central and significant question is why, given that the report is based solely on the findings of the investigators’ inquiry and does not yet include the reports of Europol and the FBI, its contents were leaked, effectively prejudging the conclusions of the two foreign agencies. The issue is not the outcome of the investigation itself but the procedure followed. Why is it assumed as a given that the investigators’ conclusions will align with the findings of Europol and the FBI?
Further questions are raised by the fact that the President of the Republic will be briefed, as stated by Mr Fytiris, only on the content and conclusions of the police investigation, and not on the reports of the foreign agencies whose assistance he himself requested.
This leads to another equally important issue regarding the briefing of the President. From what point is the President of the Republic to be informed about an ongoing criminal investigation conducted by the police? It should be noted that procedure provides that once the police have completed their investigation, the case file is forwarded to the Law Office, which alone decides on the next steps, namely whether criminal prosecutions will be initiated.
In any case, the above questions are not raised because there is any information regarding the outcome of the investigation. They reflect concerns that dominate public debate, at a time when a large segment of public opinion remains convinced that there is an attempt to cover up the affair.
There are, however, additional aspects that require clarification. For example, if it is confirmed that 'Sandy' fabricated all the messages that formed the basis of the case, was it investigated whether all actions originated from her alone, or whether there was another person assisting with ideas for the creation of the messages? Moreover, based on the contested post and the claims made by Drousiotis, were all aspects of the case examined in depth as initially pledged, or did the investigation focus solely on verifying the authenticity of the messages?
Closed Case for the Government
According to a report published yesterday by the Cyprus News Agency, citing its own sources, the possibility of appointing an independent criminal investigator for the 'Sandy' case is no longer under discussion. It is also reported that the Council of Ministers is withdrawing from any further involvement in the investigative process, while the findings of Europol are expected imminently, even within the next few days.
From the content of the Cyprus News Agency report, it appears that for the government the 'Sandy' case is considered closed. In light of the questions raised above, on what information is the government basing its decision that the appointment of independent criminal investigators is no longer an option?
The Cyprus News Agency further reports that the briefing of the Minister of Justice by the Chief of Police regarding the investigators’ report of the special team examining the 'Sandy' case concerned exclusively the procedures followed during the investigation, and not the content or findings of the case. It is also noted that public ενημέρωση will be conducted in a manner that will not affect any potential judicial process.
Regarding procedural matters, the Ministry of Justice offered to provide additional tools to assist investigations, with the Police responding that they possess all the necessary means to complete the inquiry.
Meetings at the Law Office
The 'Sandy' case was also discussed yesterday during another meeting at the Law Office, during which an update was provided on the progress of investigative work ahead of the completion of the inquiry by the investigative team. According to sources within the Law Office, the issue of appointing criminal investigators has not been closed, and such a decision will be taken after the completed case file is studied once it is forwarded to the Law Office.
