A 30-year-old man was sentenced to seven years in prison by the Larnaca district court for child sexual abuse. The offense occurred in August 2023 in Larnaca. The case was investigated by the police force’s vulnerable person task force.
The ecclesiastical court is set to investigate scandals involving cash, sex, and a miracles’ scam at the Osios Avakoum monastery. Allegations have emerged that an ex-police chief and the president of the far-right party Elam were present at related events. Elam head Christos Christou and former police chief Kypros Michaelides were at the Tamasos bishopric on March 5, the day a safe containing €800,000 was seized. Michaelides, part of the church committee, is expected to testify for Bishop Isaias. Christou confirmed his presence, stating he was there as an observer in his capacity as throne commissioner of the bishopric, not as Elam president. Police confirmed that two of their members were present on March 5 for security reasons.
Novak Djokovic, the world number one, was defeated by Luca Nardi, a 20-year-old Italian ranked 123rd, with scores of 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in the third round of Indian Wells. Nardi, who entered the main draw as a lucky loser after Tomas Etcheverry withdrew due to injury, described his victory as a “miracle.” This defeat ended Djokovic’s attempt to win a record sixth title at the tournament. Nardi will face American Tommy Paul in the next round.
Internet personality Andrew Tate was arrested in Romania for 24 hours on a British warrant related to allegations of sexual aggression from 2012-2015, which he and his brother Tristan deny. The Bucharest Court of Appeals is to decide on his extradition. The warrant was issued by Westminster Magistrates Court. Andrew and Tristan Tate were also indicted in Romania for human trafficking, rape, and forming a criminal gang for sexual exploitation, charges they have denied. The Bucharest court is considering whether to start the trial and whether to maintain the seizure of Tate’s assets. The Tate brothers were in police custody from late December 2022 until April, followed by house arrest until August, and are now under judicial control.
Authorities intercepted six boats carrying 458 people off Cape Greco, and the migrants were escorted to the Ayia Napa marina before being moved to the Pournara Reception Centre. The boats had varying numbers of men, women, children, and unaccompanied minors, with the largest carrying 283 people. The migrants reported setting off from Lebanon, each paying three thousand dollars to an unidentified facilitator. Two men, one from Lebanon and one from Syria, were arrested on suspicion of organizing the crossing and are facing charges related to human smuggling.
A total of 458 irregular migrants on six boats were spotted off the coast of Cape Greco and taken to the Pournara reception centre. These boats, detected by coast guard radars, carried 258 men, 44 women, 123 children, and 33 unaccompanied minors. They set off from Lebanon, with each passenger paying ,000 for the journey. Two individuals, a 31-year-old man from Lebanon and a 23-year-old man from Syria, were arrested based on the migrants’ testimonies.
In a meeting with President Nikos Christodoulides, the UN secretary-general’s personal envoy Maria Holguin mentioned that “a lot of ideas” were discussed. Additionally, an ecclesiastical court is set to convene within the week concerning two monks implicated in an alleged sex and cash scandal. Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos is scheduled to travel to Lebanon on Tuesday to meet with his counterpart Abdallah Bou Habib.
An 82-year-old man received a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence for shooting and injuring a man attempting to steal electricity cable from his property. The public reaction deemed the sentence harsh, considering the man’s age, health issues, and previous theft reports at his property. Following public outcry, President Nikos Christodoulides sought to issue a presidential pardon, but Attorney-General George Savvides cited constitutional reasons preventing this action, emphasizing the principle of separation of powers and the need to uphold constitutional order. This incident highlighted tensions between public sentiment, the judiciary’s decisions, and the executive’s powers in Cyprus.
The ecclesiastical court will convene within the week to address allegations involving two monks from the Ayios Avakoum monastery in Fterikoudes, related to a sex and cash scandal. The court, which will conduct its proceedings behind closed doors, will be led by Kiti Bishop Nektarios. Tamasos Bishop Isaias initiated the investigation but has since recused himself to avoid a conflict of interest, as has Morphou Bishop Neophytos due to his good relations with the accused monks. The court will consist of six Holy Synod members. The monks are accused of possessing €800,000 in cash, owning property in Greece and Limassol, and being caught on CCTV footage engaging in sexual activities with each other. Police, however, have denied involvement in any undercover operation targeting the monks, despite claims of a violent kidnapping by the monks’ lawyers. Police spokesman Christos Andreou stated that two officers were present at the monastery on March 5 for security during evidence collection but were not part of the ecclesiastical investigation. The police are investigating separate allegations of financial crimes and reports of assault, threats of violence, and other offenses related to the monastery. President Nikos Christodoulides has commented on the case, emphasizing that it is subject to an ongoing investigative and judicial process.
The scandal involving “fake diplomas” in the north’s education sector continues to unfold, focusing on UBP MP Emrah Yesilirmak and the authenticity of his business administration degree from Cyprus Health and Social Sciences University (KSTU). MPs in the north have immunity from criminal proceedings with certain exceptions, but this does not prevent investigations. The Cyprus Massachusetts Centre of Innovation is linked to a criminal network involving forged student visas, leading to several arrests. The north’s higher education accreditation authority (Yodak)’s deputy chairman, Hasan Amca, takes charge amid criminal proceedings against its chairman, Turgay Avci, and former board member Mehmet Hasguler, both arrested for accepting under-the-table payments during KSTU’s accreditation process. Senior judge Gokhan Asafogullari is investigating Avci’s conduct.