A sexual harassment case involving an inmate at the Central Prisons will proceed to court after police completed their investigation and recommended prosecution of two individuals.
Police investigators from the Nicosia Criminal Investigation Department have nearly finished their inquiries and will submit the case file to the Law Office for guidance today or tomorrow, sources told Phileleftheros.
The Ombudswoman for Administration and Human Rights has simultaneously prepared a report raising questions about the case following her own investigation into the matter.
Police recommend prosecution of two individuals
Due to the case’s nature and surrounding circumstances, investigators recommend court proceedings. Police have maintained strict confidentiality throughout the sensitive investigation, keeping details away from public attention.
The investigation covered individuals both inside and outside the prison, with testimony taken from the complainant.
Initial reports to police came from the inmate’s relatives, who reacted after learning of the incident, which was allegedly recorded on video that circulated within the prison.
Investigators attempted to locate the video recording of the alleged sexual abuse but failed to find it, as the convicted person who filmed it appears to have disposed of the mobile phone, which remains missing despite searches.
Ombudswoman raises questions about prison response
The harassment allegedly occurred in the inmate’s cell in the presence of two or more persons and was reportedly recorded on a mobile phone.
Following the incident, the prisoner was moved from Central Prison for safety reasons, having previously been assaulted by fellow inmates.
Police examined the prisoner’s cell and questioned two convicted individuals, one of whom has since been released. Investigators also reviewed closed-circuit television footage from the wing where the harassment allegedly took place.
Ombudswoman Maria Stylianou-Lottides visited the relocated inmate last Friday after expressing dissatisfaction with the prison administration’s response to her inquiry. Prison authorities, citing the ongoing police investigation and the matter’s sensitivity, provided limited details.
The inmate discussed his transfers for safety purposes but expressed no complaints against prison management, which acted to protect him when threats from other prisoners arose. The specific incident was not discussed, as it remains under police investigation.
The Ombudswoman’s report will raise questions about actions taken or not taken by prison authorities regarding this particular inmate and his general treatment.
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