THE Justice Minister was yesterday accused of scorning Parliament after refusing to answer questions regarding a prison break earlier this month.
Speaking after a closed House Crime Committee meeting, DISY’s Tasos Mitsopoulos said Minister Sophoclis Sophocleous’ refusal to offer substantial explanations over security at the prison led to the conclusion that the minister was trying to prevent Parliament from examining the matter.
“The committee feels that this stance by the minister, who is essentially obstructing Parliament’s smooth operation and its right to parliamentary observation, is an act of contempt towards the parliamentary body,” said Mitsopoulos.
Before the meeting had begun, Sophocleous said many opinions had been voiced, justifiably, over the escape of a convicted murderer and a man on trial for the murder of a Russian woman last October 14.
Both men were caught in the buffer zone by the buffer zone, but only the second man was returned, the murderer – a Turkish Cypriot – being wanted on unrelated charges in the north.
The minister said he wasn’t sure how much he could say during the committee meeting without affecting the investigation into the escape that was currently under way.
But Sophocleous promised he would offer the committee a second-by-second account of the situation’s development so far.
After the meeting, he repeated his concerns over saying too much and affecting the investigation.
“We have often witnessed cases where we tried and condemned people before having a court decision or the final outcome of an investigation,” said Sophocleous.
He also committed to providing Parliament with the investigation’s outcome.
Asked whether the discussion had been held prematurely, Sophocleous said everything had been done in good faith and concern on part of Parliament.
But Mitsopoulos said deputies were seriously wondering how to proceed further with their examination of the matter, adding: “We believe it is essential for the legislative body to be able to exercise without hindrance the authorities and powers that are provided in the Constitution.”
He said deputies had respected the minister’s request to delay discussions on the escape due to the investigation. “But despite this, Mr Sophocleous, citing the investigation, refused to respond to any substantial question regarding the safety measures taken in prisons and regarding other matters such as the operation of the prisons, such as their building structures, overpopulation and the separation of inmates.”
Mitsopoulos pointed out that his party’s opinion was almost unanimously shared by all members of the Crime Committee.
