CONVICTED murderer Antonis Prokopiou Kitas, better known as Al Capone, was yesterday still at large, five days after escaping Apollonion Hospital where he was being treated.
The Cabinet is today expected to reach decisions on how to deal with the escape, in a meeting that will be joined by the Attorney-general.
The announcement was made by President Demetris Christofias, who said he had not been aware that Kitas was being treated at the private clinic; otherwise he would have taken precautionary measures, he said.
Asked whether the Central Prison Governor would be suspended, the President said, “It could happen and I will not accept his resignation. How else would you like me to put it?”
Christofias said he was not at all pleased – “to avoid saying anything harsher” – over the image projected through Kitas’ escape.
“I hear that for years now, convicts serving heavy sentences are spending entire months in clinics or hospitals, which can be described as restrooms at the end of the day,” said a clearly incensed Christofias. “This has truly shocked me and the necessary measures need to be taken,” he added.
Asked whether a criminal investigator would be appointed by the Cabinet, Christofias called on reporters to be patient and await the official decision later on today.
Attorney-general Petros Clerides, he added, had been invited to attend the meeting “because I would like to do everything based on the Constitution and the laws, without making arbitrary decisions, but taking measures that will be truly effective, not just now but in the future too”.
Police yesterday continued to receive calls from members of public who claimed to have seen Kitas in areas spanning from Nicosia all the way to free Famagusta. But all leads led to dead ends.
An investigation into the convict’s bank accounts, after police found a bank slip showing he had €4.3 million deposited, began yesterday afternoon, though nothing was announced on the outcome.
Meanwhile, Police Chief Iacovos Papacostas yesterday said he had “no problem and no reservations” to submit his resignation, “if the conditions and responsibilities demand it”.
But as things stand at the moment, he added, the matter wasn’t even up for discussion.
Papacostas wished to assure the public that the police force “doesn’t sleep, day or night”.
He said police were combing the entire island, collecting and analysing information, and carrying out planned operations on specific areas.
The Police Chief was positive that police efforts would soon be fruitful and brushed away rumours the convict had already escaped to the occupied areas.
He wanted to clarify that the prisons did not fall under the authority of the Police Chief, but were a separate department.
Papacostas avoided commenting on opposition DISY’s claims that Kitas was not being sufficiently guarded.
But he did admit that police were aware of “information or rumours” that Kitas would come and go freely from the clinic freely in the six months he was being treated there, with the knowledge of his prison guards.
Kitas was sentenced to life imprisonment at the age of 28 in 1994 for the brutal rapes and murders of Oksana Lisna, 20, and Christina Ahfeldt, 28.
