The five criminal investigators handling the “Mafia State” case will set up their base at the Conference Centre in Nicosia, philenews has learned.
The case arose from the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority’s report on the book “Mafia State.”
The two Greek investigators, Vasileios Skouris, who heads the team, and Ilias Anagnostopoulos, came to Cyprus and, together with three Cypriot investigators, Sotiris Liasidis, Nikolas Koursaris and Dimitris Tsolakidis, formed the independent criminal investigators’ team yesterday. The team convened for the first time and took up its duties based on its terms of reference.
Before that, team members held a brief meeting with Justice and Public Order Minister Costas Fytiris and Deputy Police Chief Panikos Stavrou at the Filoxenia Conference Centre.
The meeting covered only procedural and organisational matters relating to the start of the investigators’ work. Once it concluded, the team immediately began its work, exercising its duties with full independence and objectivity, and in line with the terms assigned to it by the Council of Ministers.
According to philenews information, the criminal investigators, who will hear witnesses at the Conference Centre, have already begun studying the evidence gathered by the inspection officers appointed by the Anti-Corruption Authority. Once that study is complete, they will call the first witness, who philenews understands may be the book’s author, Makarios Drousiotis, though this has not been ruled in or out.
All the evidence was given to the investigators electronically, while the printed material remains locked in an office at the Anti-Corruption Authority.
Meanwhile, police spokesman Vyron Vyronos said yesterday that the Authority’s report has been forwarded to police and is in the possession of the police chief, though he noted it has not yet been examined by members of the force. He made clear that police are not currently conducting any investigation into the case. He added that police stand ready to assist if asked, as part of the process to follow. According to philenews information, this will happen once the criminal investigators decide.
It is noted that in a statement it issued, the Anti-Corruption Authority attributed the possibility that criminal offences may arise, following its investigation of claims made in the book, to 15 people and companies. These, according to the Authority’s report, include former President Nicos Anastasiades, a former judge, a former minister, a former MP, lawyers and a Russian oligarch, among others. Several of those named have denied what the report states.
Separately, it should be noted that testimony gathered by the Authority’s own investigators cannot be used should any case reach the courts, which is why the criminal investigators will need to take fresh testimony.