As of Monday, the first draft of findings regarding the complaint against Deputy Attorney-General Savvas Angelides is in the hands of the Independent Authority Against Corruption.
Angelides, accused of suspending criminal prosecution against three individuals he had previously represented as a lawyer before taking on government responsibilities, is currently under investigation.
The initial draft, sent by British investigators, reportedly includes testimonial evidence and their findings concerning one of the three individuals for whom Angelides considered criminal prosecution.
Within the next 24 hours, British inspectors George Campanella and Tanvir Qureshi are set to dispatch two more draft findings related to the remaining two individuals implicated in the complaints forwarded to the Anti-Corruption Authority.
These experts are also expected to provide their opinion on the matter of abuse of power shortly.
The drafts and opinions will undergo examination, leading to the final report, for which an announcement will be made by the Independent Authority Against Corruption. The ongoing investigation, as indicated by recent developments, marks the concluding phase of the authority’s first major inquiry.
Recall that the focus of the foreign investigators’ mandate was to examine whether there was a conflict of interest in Savvas Angelides’ case and if there were instances of abuse of power.
Specifically, the inquiry delves into whether Angelides, in his role as Deputy Attorney-General, appropriately handled cases involving the three individuals he previously represented as a legal professional before assuming government duties.
The entire matter originated from complaints filed with the Audit Service, which were subsequently referred to the Anti-Corruption Authority.
Two cases are under scrutiny, relating to the three individuals mentioned earlier. It is noteworthy that the London-based experts conducted their investigations in Cyprus during the first week of September, gathering testimonies from over 10 individuals.
Among those interviewed were state officials, including Deputy Attorney-General Savvas Angelides and Auditor-General Odysseas Michaelides. Testimonies were also obtained from high-ranking police officer Michalis Katsounotos, other members of the police force, and judicial officers. The London experts also visited the Central Prisons to obtain statements from an inmate involved in the case.
