Black Maria donated to Police Museum

A CAR used by the British to transport Greek Cypriot prisoners during the EOKA armed struggle of 1955-1959 was formally donated to the Police Museum yesterday morning by its Larnaca owner.

Attending the ceremony was the Minister of Justice, representatives from EOKA (the National Organisation of Cypriot Fighters), heads of police, and other officials.

Deputy head of police Charalambos Koulentis said that the car, which later came to be known as ‘Black Maria’ or ‘The Cage’, was “purchased from the Prison Department on in early 1957 and used from 1957-1959 solely for the transport of prisoners during the course of our independence struggle. It was later sold at an auction since it did not run.”

Koulentis also thanked Panayiotis Theodosiou, the Larnaca man who had purchased the car and was now donating it to the Police Museum in the memory of his son’s wife, schoolteacher Georgia Kyriakidou Theodosiou, who died in a car accident in January.

“Mr Panayiotis Theodosiou found a section of oxidised and deteriorating metal and he managed to return the vehicle to the state it was in when he first purchased it. We offered to cover the costs of the repair, but Mr Theodosiou politely declined the money and with much love and joy offered it to us in the memory of his daughter-in-law.”

Justice Minister Doros Theodorou spoke of the car as “one of the most important displays of the Police Museum, because it is intrinsically linked with the independence struggle of EOKA, which created the independent Cyprus Republic, which in turn constitutes the shield of hope for the survival of Cypriot Hellenism.”