Larnaca abduction probe drawing to a close

No charges have been filed against the male nurse in the Larnaca abduction case, with police saying the investigation has entered an advanced stage and could be completed in a number of days.

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Police spokesperson Andreas Angelides said the 42-year-old nurse, who was arrested Friday on suspicions of illegally supplying the main suspect with prescription tranquilizers, was released from custody following the expiration of his two-day remand.

Reports said no charges have been filed against the nurse, described as a friend of 35-year-old Yiorgos “George” Nicolaou who is accused of kidnapping two 11-year-old school boys last week in Kamares, Larnaca district.

Nicolaou admitted to police that he snatched the two boys and took them about a kilometre away from their school to his apartment, where it turned out that he drugged them by putting a tranquilizer in their lemonade.

A number of prescription drugs were found in his apartment, while it is still not clear whether police know at this point what happened during the time Nicolaou was keeping the two boys. Reports said the officers found the two pupils on a bed in a semi-conscious state and unaware of their surroundings.

Angelides said the case is in an “advanced stage” as investigators have a few more details and pieces more evidence before gathering enough information and forwarding the file to the attorney general’s office.

But he also cautioned that the case involved multiple layers of facts and issues associated with what took place, without giving more details.

“Besides the criminal investigation, we are certainly interested in seeing the results being evaluated on additional levels, given the uniqueness and particularity of the case,” Angelides said.

The spokesperson also commented on media reports that said no evidence of child porn was found on the suspect’s computers, saying nothing of an incriminating nature was found on the computers that were confiscated and examined so far.

But he added more depositions and statements as well as “other actions” on behalf of the police are pending in order to complete the investigation.

Nicolaou maintains he did it for money, but police found no evidence that any demands for ransom were made during the eight hours of the boys' captivity.