Newsroom
Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides has dismissed the Chief and Deputy Chief of Police, a move widely seen as a response to the recent scandal involving an escaped convict. The president made the decision upon his return from the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The shake-up follows the escape of Doros Theofanous, a convicted murderer serving a life sentence, who fled while visiting his family in Paphos earlier this week. Despite being under the supervision of at least four police officers, Theofanous managed to escape, reportedly armed with a gun. A four-day manhunt ensued, culminating in his capture in Limassol earlier today.
Although the president has not explicitly linked the dismissals to the escape, the timing suggests the decision was likely influenced by public outrage over the incident. In addition to the police firings, Christodoulides also ordered the termination of the Deputy Director of Central Prisons and announced new appointments to key law enforcement positions. Themistos Arnaoutis has been named the new Chief of Police, with Panikos Stavrou appointed as Deputy Chief. The president also instructed the Minister of Justice to recommend Konstantinos Konstantinidis for the role of Deputy Director of Central Prisons.
The high-profile escape and subsequent manhunt have raised concerns over police oversight and security protocols, prompting these rapid leadership changes. Further investigations into the circumstances of the escape are ongoing.
