Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the escape of 42-year-old life prisoner Theodoros Theofanous during an escorted leave.
Theofanous, convicted in 2012 for the murder of his pregnant partner and her young daughter, was granted leave to visit relatives in Paphos. He was accompanied by three members of the Mobile Immediate Action Unit (MMAD) and four correctional officers when he escaped through a window, according to initial reports.
The incident has sparked concern due to the severity of Theofanous’s crimes and the potential public safety risk. The leave was granted in accordance with Article 16 of the Prisons Law, which allows life prisoners who have served at least 10 years to request escorted leave for family reasons or to strengthen social bonds.
The decision to grant leave is made by the Committee, comprising prison officials, teachers, social workers, and psychologists. The committee is responsible for evaluating prisoners and determining appropriate security measures.
Cypriot prison regulations allow for discretion in the use of restraints during transfers, based on the prisoner’s assessed risk of escape, character, and behaviour. Sources indicate that prisoners are typically informed of leave only hours before departure as a security precaution.
Authorities are now scrutinising the application of these protocols in Theofanous’s case.
Theofanous, 42, was convicted in 2012 for the murders of his pregnant girlfriend, Julia Oporok, 24, and her three-year-old daughter, Viktoria.
He had shot his girlfriend and suffocated her daughter.
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