Yiannis Yiannaki, the former Cyprus Commissioner for Volunteerism, was arrested on Monday afternoon following a warrant issued by the Nicosia District Court after he failed to appear for his scheduled trial.
The court ordered Yiannaki to remain in custody until his next court appearance, scheduled for April 2.
Yiannaki is expected to appear before the court tomorrow to provide an explanation for his absence from today’s proceedings.
The judge will assess his explanation before determining whether to impose new bail conditions or issue additional orders in the case.
The hearing of the case remains scheduled for April 2, when proceedings are expected to continue regardless of the outcome of tomorrow’s appearance.
What is he accused of
Former Volunteerism Commissioner Yiannis Yiannaki, is facing charges related to the alleged forgery of his academic qualifications. The case centres on accusations that Yiannaki falsified his high school diploma and presented a counterfeit university degree from San Diego State University. These documents were reportedly used to secure positions at the Youth Board of Cyprus (ONEK) and later as Volunteerism Commissioner.
The alleged forgeries came to light in May 2021 following an investigation by the Auditor-General, prompted by anonymous complaints. Evidence suggests that Yiannaki manipulated his high school grades and submitted a fake university diploma. Photographs published in local media showed discrepancies between numerical grades and their written equivalents.
Yiannaki resigned from his commissioner post in 2021 amid the ensuing investigation.
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