Rogue officer suspended

A POLICE Constable has been suspended after deciding to celebrate his name day by firing his police-issued pistol into the air in celebration.

The announcement was made by police officials, adding the constable in question was a 29-year-old man who worked at the Limassol Immigration Department.

The incident occurred on Wednesday evening at 11pm, when the constable went to his friend’s house in the Apostolos Andreas area of Limassol and in his drunken state fired his gun into the air.

Alarmed neighbours called the police, who immediately went to the house and arrested the constable.

Commenting on the incident yesterday, Deputy Limassol Police Chief Tasos Economides said: “The officer illegally fired his weapon in celebration of his name day. After instructions from the Chief of Police Tasos Panayiotou, the man has been arrested and suspended from duty.”

The 29-year-old is likely to be charged in a criminal court with illegal use of a firearm, illegally firing a gun in a residential area and disturbing the peace.