Couple out on bail in abuse case

A 52-year-old male police officer and his wife walked free on bail Monday morning, after prosecutors filed a case of sexual abuse of a minor against the couple.

The suspects, who were arrested last week in Limassol, are being accused of sexually abuding a little girl, whose mother reportedly left her in their care on occasions while she had to go to work.

Reports said the alleged victim is a 4-year-old child from the suspects' social circle. Both suspects, who have reportedly denied the allegations, will remain free on bail while their arraignment in a criminal court has been set for October 21.

Reports said the male suspect, described as a Greek Cypriot police sergeant, has been suspended from duties pending the outcome of an investigation and the criminal trial.

Additional reports said the police sergeant had been suspended from duties in the past following an incident when he shot a foreign national.

Back in March, police said they responded to a public disturbance incident in Apesia, a village in Limassol district, where they shot 39-year-old Iranian national Abolfazi Ziaei, who later went into cardiac arrest just before surgery and passed away.