A 49-year-old Swedish national wanted in Sweden for an alleged €90 million fraud has been remanded in custody for seven days by Larnaca District Court after being recaptured following his escape from a private clinic.
The suspect, who fled while under police guard on Sunday afternoon, was found on Monday in an unfinished building approximately one kilometre from the clinic. Police also recovered the handcuffs he had managed to remove.
The suspect told investigators he had been wandering around Larnaca before finding shelter in the building under construction where he was discovered. Following his capture, he was examined by a state doctor at Larnaca Hospital who determined his health condition was not of concern and he was fit to be held in custody.
According to police, the man had been handcuffed to his hospital bed but managed to detach the protective rail and free himself from one side of the restraints. He then escaped through a window into the clinic’s semi-basement car park before heading towards Larnaca city centre on foot.
The suspect was initially arrested at Larnaca Airport on December 6 as he attempted to board a flight to Bangkok. Cypriot authorities believe he had been living in Cyprus for several months, though it remains unclear how he entered the country. Investigators are examining the possibility he arrived via the occupied northern territory.
Three days after his arrest, he was admitted to the private clinic. He reportedly had requested to be examined by a specific private doctor.
A special police constable and the duty officer who gave instructions for guarding the wanted man have been suspended pending investigation into the escape.
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