Limassol Municipality has instructed a criminal lawyer to prepare a case over the disappearance of musical instruments belonging to the former Messa Geitonia Municipal Philharmonic, with a police report expected within days, Mayor Yiannis Armeftis has said.
The Municipal Council decided to refer the matter to the municipality’s Legal Service after an internal investigation found only three to four instruments out of an estimated total of approximately 30. More than 20 instruments appear to be missing, with an estimated combined value of around €63,000. Some instruments do not match their inventory descriptions, others are non-functional or damaged. A single saxophone, for example, can cost up to €8,000.
“During the investigation we were informed that three to four instruments have been found out of approximately 30 in total. There are also some explanations and accounts from former philharmonic officials which had not previously been recorded,” Armeytis said.
The issue first came to light when the municipality appointed a coordinator for its musical ensembles at the start of the year and tasked him with cataloguing the instruments. An initial count found two instruments missing, prompting a more detailed investigation which revealed the scale of the problem. A search of Municipal Council records is also under way to establish whether any decisions were taken to donate or dispose of instruments that might account for their absence.
The criminal lawyer will prepare the case using all available material and produce a report, after which the matter will be referred to police.
Former Messa Geitonia Mayor Doros Antoniou said a count conducted before the local government reform had found no deficit.
Deputy Mayor of the Messa Geitonia Municipal District Marios Protopapas said he had raised the missing instruments issue since autumn 2024. He also noted that the philharmonic’s uniforms have not been handed over either.
