The high-profile case involving thousands of classified and confidential documents removed from the Central Prisons has formally advanced to court proceedings. A criminal case has now been filed against eight individuals, among them former Central Prisons director Anna Aristotelous and former deputy director Athina Demetriou.
Seven months after the investigation began, authorities submitted the case against eight people, including former senior prison officials Aristotelous and Demetriou. The remaining defendants are members of the prison staff.
Police officials describe the affair as one of the most complex and serious cases they have ever handled. The investigation began on 10 April when officers executed a search warrant at the home of a chief prison officer while probing an unrelated matter. Inside two locked rooms, one on the ground floor and one on the first floor, they discovered large quantities of documents.
A total of 48,430 documents were seized, amounting to 250,464 pages. All had been stored without authorization.
Seized documents
The seized material included architectural, topographical and planning blueprints of the Central Prisons in Nicosia, copies of inmate files, disciplinary investigation records, internal correspondence, reports, notes and service-related lists. Police also found documents belonging to the Police and other government departments, including operational files, interdepartmental correspondence and communications between the Prisons Department and state officials. Many of the documents carried Secret or Confidential classification labels.
Officers also confiscated digital disks with handwritten notes, computer diskettes, commemorative gifts and various other items.
According to available information, the indictment includes the following charges:
• Conspiracy to commit a felony
• Conspiracy to commit a misdemeanor
• Abuse of power
• Breach of official secrecy
• Violations of the Law on the Processing of Personal Data
• Theft by public officials
• Breach of security regulations for classified documents
• Illegal possession of property
Earlier arrests
Last May, five of the eight individuals now charged were arrested and held for seven days as part of the investigation carried out by CID Headquarters. During court proceedings at the Nicosia District Court, investigators revealed further details, including that most of the documents had been moved between November and December 2022.
Police stated that documents were placed on a trolley and transported from an area below the Directorate offices. They exited through what staff referred to as the “Directorate door” which bypassed the Guardroom, the normal entry and exit point for personnel.
A witness reported that the chief prison officer loaded boxes of documents into a Prisons Department vehicle and that two of the female suspects gave instructions on how to load them. According to testimony, all items were eventually transferred in cloth bags to the officer’s home.
The filing of the case reopens the question of suspensions for those named in the indictment.
Former director Anna Aristotelous remains suspended after a series of legal disputes. She had been appointed to serve as a Permanent Secretary by decision of the Council of Ministers, with duties scheduled to begin on 1 December. Until then, the Public Service Commission may request an extension of her suspension. After 1 December, any further extension requires a decision by the Council of Ministers.
More suspensions
Former deputy director Athina Demetriou, who was serving at the Audit Office and had not been suspended during the initial investigation, is now expected to be placed on suspension. Auditor General Andreas Papaconstantinou, having been informed by the Police, announced his intention to initiate the necessary procedures.
The other defendants named in the indictment remain suspended, and steps are expected to be taken to extend their suspension periods.
During the filing process, 15 December was set as the date for the eight defendants to be referred directly to trial. Once the indictments are served, they will be required to appear before the Nicosia District Court for formal referral.
Police received instructions from the Legal Service to lodge the case because the suspension orders for six of the implicated officers expire at the end of the week, which would otherwise see them return to duty.
Anna Aristotelous remains on suspension and has lodged an appeal. The Council of Ministers recently decided to appoint Ms Aristotelous as a director general at a ministry.