POLICE chief Iacovos Papacostas yesterday denied that investigators had not taken the attack on Civil Registry and Migration director Anny Shakalli seriously.
“[The incident] never stopped being investigated,” he said.
Papacostas was commenting on reports that police had done little to get to the bottom of the August 5 incident, which saw Shakalli attacked in her bed at her Nicosia home in Ayioi Omoloyites during the early hours.
Regarding the senior civil servant’s request for police protection, the police chief said that would not be possible due to a lack of manpower. He said at least six officers were needed to offer around the clock protection, a figure the force did not have at its disposal.
“She won’t have a full time guard, but ever since the incident instructions were issued so that her home is under continuous and heavy police patrol,” he said.
Papacostas said marked and unmarked police vehicles now included her home in their patrol routes on a 24-hour basis.
“Sometimes, they might go by her house four times in an hour, other times two times in an hour. It varies. Sometimes the measures are visible and other times they are not,” he said.
The police chief, who met with Shakalli yesterday to discuss her case, said the Interior Ministry official had given him some new information which was being followed up. He also denied that investigators had ever disbelieved the Civil Registry and Migration director’s claims, or that they had as good as dropped the investigation within days of the attack.
When Shakalli returned from a three-week trip to China, which she took within days of her attack, she was met with the realisation that police had done little to get the ball rolling. This prompted the senior civil servant to send a letter to Papacostas through her lawyer requesting police protection. Yesterday’s meeting was the first since the police chief received her letter last Friday.
Commenting on their meeting, Shakalli said she was completely satisfied with how Papacostas was dealing with the incident and his apparent willingness to investigate the attack.
“I gave him evidence that I’d given investigators and he said it would be looked into immediately. He also assured me under no circumstances was there any question of my reliability,” she said.
Malicious rumours regarding the legitimacy of Shakalli testimony circulated within days of her attack.
But Shakalli yesterday seemed relieved that her complaint was being taken seriously and was confident in Papacostas’ assurances that the police would continue to investigate.
Shakalli was attacked last month while she slept in her bed. Her assailant got in through an open window and made his way to her bedroom where he tried to bind and gag her. Shakalli is believed to have fought back, receiving a blow to the face from the intruder. The man, thought to be of Asian decent, then ran off into an unknown direction. Nothing was stolen from her home. Police are investigating whether the incident could be related to her position. The senior civil servant has repeatedly been criticised for her harsh treatment of immigrants and strict adherence to the law.
