Attorney General and Deputy Withdraw from Investigation into Anastasiades
Attorney General Georgios Savvides and his deputy Savvas Angelides announced their recusal from the "Mafia State" case. The investigation concerns potential criminal liability of former president Nicos Anastasiades.
Prosecutors Withdraw from "Mafia State" Case Concerning Anastasiades
Attorney General Georgios Savvides and his deputy Savvas Angelides announced on Wednesday that they are withdrawing from any involvement in further investigations concerning a report by the Authority against Corruption, according to Cyprus Mail. The report concluded that former president Nicos Anastasiades may bear criminal responsibility for abuse of power.
Savvides stated that he contacted the Commissioner for Transparency Haris Poiadtzis to investigate whether the Authority against Corruption intends to submit the full 3,000-word report to the legal service. Poiadtzis informed him that he would not be in a position to do so before the following week.
The Attorney General stated that, "in consequence" of this, he would "refrain from any evaluation and decision-making in relation to the findings", owing to Anastasiades' involvement, "both due to the relationship and friendship" with him, as well as to ensure "objective impartiality in the management and decision-making" in the case.
With the same reasoning, Angelides stated that he would "refrain from any evaluation and decision-making in relation to the findings", with the purpose of ensuring "objective impartiality in the management and decision-making".
At the same time, Elena Kleopa, head of the criminal law department of the legal service, announced that she would "withdraw from the process", as she was called to testify as a witness by the Authority against Corruption within the scope of the same investigation.
Source: Cyprus Mail