Assistant Attorney General faces scrutiny amid corruption probe

In a recent development, the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority has publicly disclosed the results of an exhaustive investigation into allegations surrounding Assistant Attorney General Savvas Angelides. The focus of the inquiry was on concerns related to incompatibility and corruption arising from Angelides' decision to halt criminal proceedings against three individuals who were formerly his clients during his tenure as a lawyer. The complaints, initially brought to the Authority's attention by Auditor General Odysseus Michaelides, instigated a thorough inquiry led by appointed inspectors, including George Kampanella and Tanveer Qureshi from London, alongside George Liasidis from Nicosia.

The investigation produced nuanced outcomes. In the first two complaints involving Angelides, inspectors determined that no corruption offense or abuse of power could be substantiated. However, the third complaint, implicating a senior police officer, introduced complexities. The officer's refusal to answer questions during the inquiry was categorized as obstructive, potentially constituting an offense under Section 8(b) of Law 19(I)/2022. Expressing concern over the lack of a statutory procedure for handling conflicts of interest, inspectors highlighted these findings. During a meeting convened on December 28, 2023, the Authority endorsed the inspectors' conclusions, affirming that, although no corruption offense was identified, a recommendation for the prosecution of the police officer would be conveyed to the Attorney General. This recommendation stems from the officer's refusal to answer questions, indicating a potential violation of the law.