Makarios Drousiotis accused the Police and Justice Minister Costas Fitiris of engaging in “communication games”, reacting to the ministry’s latest announcement about his meeting with the investigative team.
The Justice Ministry issued a statement claiming Drousiotis has not provided the police investigative team with any material that can be used in the inquiry on his allegations of a cabal of high-profile individuals involved in financial crime and in one case, child abuse.
The ministry said that during Drousiotis' visit to Police Headquarters on Friday, the investigative journalist left without submitting a written statement, providing only “a typed, descriptive and unsigned text,” which, it stressed, cannot constitute evidence for the purposes of the investigation.
Writing on a social media post in response, Drousiotis said: “They will get all the evidence. Enough with the PR games.”
Drousiotis said he is abiding by what was agreed. “I will give no one any excuses. I am working day and night to deliver all the evidence, organised and categorised so that there are no misunderstandings and everyone assumes their responsibilities.”
‘We agreed fastest way was a structured written statement’
Commenting on the Ministry’s announcement about his meeting with investigators on Friday, he repeated that “we agreed that the fastest and most effective way for me to submit the evidence was to present it in a structured written statement”.
He added that as he was leaving the meeting, “we agreed that no announcements would be made, in order to protect the process.” Drousiotis added that he told the lead officer: “I hope I don’t leave here and you issue a statement saying I did not give evidence or that I am not cooperating.”
According to Drousiotis, a member of the investigative team responded that “no announcement will be issued”, yet “by the afternoon they had announced that I did not give evidence and that I am not cooperating. I am genuinely astonished.”
“I am neither an accused nor a complainant”
He clarified, “I am neither an accused person nor a complainant. The Police are examining this case ex officio,” adding that he intends to help “as much as I possibly can” with the investigation.
“I am working day and night to meet my commitment,” he said, “and I regret having to spend my time managing the communication games of the Police and the Minister of Justice.”
Drousiotis pointed out: “I publicised these facts back in 2024, and they have been online ever since. For two years no one was interested; now they expect me in two days to hand over hundreds of messages through a summary process.”
‘If testimony not usable, then they’re not interested’
He added that “if the lengthy written narrative by Sandy herself, which I provided, cannot be considered evidence that helps the investigation, then clearly the investigative team is not genuinely interested in the investigation.”
Writing in his social media post, he said: “In any case, I will abide by what was agreed and give no one any excuses. I will deliver all the evidence, organised and categorised, so that there are no misunderstandings and everyone assumes their responsibilities.”
Concluding, he argued that “the behaviour of the Police is one more reason why the President must immediately appoint independent criminal investigators who will act in good faith.”