Financial crime prosecutors are progressing with their investigation over Saint Habakkuk.
Although the Police officially no longer provide updates on the two investigations they are conducting, information from Phileleftheros suggests that the study of documents and reports provided by the bishop during his lengthy deposition continues.
Additionally, individuals are being summoned to provide testimony to substantiate his claims.
In an effort to ascertain matters such as the acquisition of property by certain monks in their name, either in Cyprus or Greece, or the extent to which they maintain deposits, investigators will seek court orders to disclose bank account information.
Concurrently, an investigation will be conducted through the Land Registry to identify any properties held by the accused. A similar investigation will take place in Greece.
At the same time, the origin of €807,000 in cash found at the Saint Habakkuk monastery, which was collected by individuals commissioned by bishop Tamasou and transferred to its offices, is being examined.
Explanations will be sought from those responsible for any amounts that were not receipted and do not constitute proceeds of donations for which permission was granted.
While it is certainly not a crime for the faithful to contribute to the monastery’s coffers, money collected through other means should have been declared, and receipts issued.
The issue of Saint Habakkuk’s financial obligations to the state will be investigated by the Tax Department.
As stated yesterday by the Director-General of the Ministry of Finance, George Pantelis, following recent reports of large sums of money circulating in the Monastery, the Tax Commissioner, Sotiris Markides, will be asked to investigate the matter.
So far, the team of investigators from the Economic Crime Unit has received 15 testimonies and continues its investigation to evaluate the evidence collected and determine the next steps within the coming days.
Additionally, the investigation by the Police Internal Affairs Division regarding complaints from five monks against bishop Isaiah and others for their alleged abduction, assault, threats, and violent behaviour is ongoing.
Anything that emerges from the investigations regarding masked individuals or any policemen who were not authorized to be on duty will be investigated, said a police officer to Phileleftheros.
The Police officially admitted through their representative that two policemen went to the Monastery at the request of bishop Tamasou to safely transport valuable items, which were then taken to its offices.
Yesterday, the lawyers of the two archimandrites of the Monastery, Andriana Klaidi and Nikolaos Koulouris, in their statement regarding a video that came to light concerning myrrh found in the Monastery, spoke of a forged videotape.
The lawyers stated:
“Regarding the videotape published today (yesterday), Wednesday, March 13, where the image of Abbot Nektarios Georgiou and the dialogue of the archimandrite Porphyrios Ttoulou appear, it is made known to the public that this videotape is forged and does not correspond to reality. It is the product of illegal processing with the purpose of deceiving the public and creating distraction regarding the blatant responsibilities of bishop Tamasou and Oreinis.”
“It is particularly striking that the ‘director’ of this videotape, in order to make it incriminating for the above-mentioned clergy, presents one of them giving the command to the other with the phrase ‘pour the myrrh,’ which can be heard.”
“As if the one who gave it wanted this command to be heard, beyond its recipient, and by third parties, the viewers of the videotape. There was no reason, if indeed such a thing happened, to give such a command. The staging is glaring. The publication and leakage of such ‘staged’ videotapes constitute a criminal offence. Once again, the goal is to deceive the public and distract,” they stated.