Man in handcuffs flees from cops at checkpoint

A police officer has been suspended following an incident Wednesday night when a handcuffed man got away at a Nicosia checkpoint.

According to media reports, a 26-year-old Nigerian male was found hiding in the trunk of a vehicle, as it was about to go through inspection at a checkpoint into the Republic of Cyprus.

The incident took place at Agios Dometios/Metehan checkpoint, with police officers initially detaining both the driver, described as a Greek Cypriot male, and the hidden passenger.

But while the Nigerian man was in the custody of police officers, he managed to escape and run away while still handcuffed.

Officers pursued the suspect but to no avail, as the man was nowhere to be found.

Police headquarters in Nicosia were notified about the incident and immediately ordered the police officer responsible for the man in question to be suspended while an investigation is pending.

Two other men were also arrested less than two months ago at the same checkpoint, with at least one of the men said to have been of Syrian origin.