Police have completed their investigation into a rape complaint against suspended Paphos mayor Phedon Phedonos and are preparing to forward the case file to the Law Office for review and directions.
The probe, carried out under strict confidentiality, is in its final stage, with investigators drafting their concluding report and recommendations. The file is expected to be submitted either today or by the end of the week.
A special unit set up at the Nicosia CID examined the complaint, which resurfaced after references by Paphos businessman Theodoros Aristodemou and social media posts by Ioanna Fotiou, also known by the username of her viral page ‘Annie Alexui’. According to police sources, investigators have addressed all issues raised by the complainant.
In her statement, the woman reportedly named several individuals whom she said she had informed about the alleged incident in 2014 and in the years that followed.
Police also sought written evidence that could potentially support the complaint. All material gathered will now be assessed by officials at the Law Office before a final decision is taken.
Phedonos was summoned for questioning last Wednesday but, on his lawyers’ advice, did not answer more than 40 questions put to him by investigators.
He instead submitted a written statement rejecting the allegations and repeated what he had stated in a social media post on 14 February, in which he said he had committed none of the offences being announced deliberately to harm him.
In that post, he referred to what he described as an attempt to divert attention from “videogate”, spoke of an effort to eliminate him politically, and called to be charged with real evidence so that justice could decide, adding that otherwise it would prove that what was being sought was his political hostage-taking.
Meanwhile, police are also nearing completion of a separate investigation into an allegation of assault against his wife, which was launched ex officio following social media posts by Fotiou.
His wife requested that the investigation into the alleged violence be discontinued. Police, however, continued their inquiries as required by law, including checks at a hospital for potential evidence and testimony.
All findings, together with the position of the suspended mayor, will also be placed before the Attorney General, who will issue written instructions to investigators.
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