College student says she was raped

A man has been arrested in Nicosia on rape charges following a complaint by a university student, who said she was sexually assaulted under knife threat.

According to police, an adult male was arrested earlier this week in connection with an alleged rape incident that took place a few days ago in Dali, a southern suburb of Nicosia.

Police said a woman filed a complaint but declined to provide further details.

Local media said a 20-year-old female student from Vietnam, who is attending university in Cyprus, was helping her mother gather wild asparagus in an open field in Dali.

According to the complaint, the university student at some point got separated from her mother. Then a man, described by some media as a 35-year-old Egyptian national, reportedly approached the young woman.

After pointing a knife at her, the man proceeded to sexually assault the young woman according to the complaint.

Police declined to comment on the case but confirmed the male suspect was in custody and was scheduled to appear before a judge on Wednesday morning.

The suspect is facing multiple charges including rape, knife possession, indecent assault, and sexual molestation.

Additional reports said the mother, who works as a housemaid in Cyprus, collects and sells wild asparagus to passersby to make ends meet and help put her daughter through college.

Officers from Pera Chorio police station are handling the case.