Inmates freed as part of the ‘Easter pardon’

FIFTY prisoners, 33 Greek Cypriots and 17 foreign nationals, were released from jail on Wednesday and Thursday after receiving a presidential pardon ahead of Easter.

Among the released were two former state officials, head of the South Nicosia general hospital’s ear, nose, and throat clinic Dr Yiannakis Kyamides and former director of Cytavision, Orestis Vasiliou as well as high-profile lawyer Panayiotis Neocleous, all three convicted of corruption.

Neocleous was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail in March 2017, over the corruption case that also brought down former deputy attorneygeneral Rikkos Erotokritou.

He was transferred in June the same year to the Eoka rehabilitation centre in Palodhia, Limassol, to undergo dental treatment under constant police guard.

Erotokritou meanwhile, who is serving a three-and-a-halfyear sentence, has been moved to the open prison where he is entitled to a furlough every two months.

Kyamides was sentenced in May 2017 to two-and-a-half years in prison after being found guilty of corruption and extortion in connection with taking backhanders to refer patients to a private hearing clinic.

Vasiliou was sentenced to nine years in jail in January 2015 over his involvement in the “Dromolaxia scandal”. The sentence was later reduced to seven years.

The Dromolaxia land scam involved the illegal purchase of Turkish Cypriot property by the Cyta Pension Fund, and the construction of an officespace complex at an inflated price.

Presidential pardons are granted in Easter, Christmas, August 15 and October 1 (Independence Day).

People convicted for murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, drugs trafficking and sexual offences are not eligible for pardons.