A 52-YEAR-OLD police officer who is facing disciplinary action for his involvement in leaking a taped mobile phone recording of an ex-girlfriend performing a sexual act has recently been promoted.
The officer, who is facing an appeal over his recent acquittal in a criminal case against him for the same incident, was promoted to the rank of Chief Inspector by the Cabinet last month. His name was one of many submitted to the ministers via the Justice Ministry after it was included on a list drawn up by the special committee recommending promotion for resistance fighters during the 1974 coup.
The promotion follows repeated promises by the leadership of the police force, Attorney-general’s office, Justice Ministry and President of the Republic that police sleaze will not be tolerated and the force will do everything in its power to regain public trust after a recent catalogue of scandals rocked its foundations.
In fact the promotion was approved 10 days before Demetris Christofias publicly placed both his and the government’s full trust in the island’s police force and said the two had to work together to restore the body’s good name and prestige. Christofias’ statements were made during a one-hour meeting with the police leadership, police chiefs, unit commanders and their assistants last Monday. The promotion was granted on July 17.
“I find it abhorrent someone was promoted who only just escaped conviction. He was acquitted because there was not enough evidence that proved he himself leaked the video clip to convict him but it was clear he had made the recording and had leaked it,” a source close to the proceedings said yesterday.
“How do you promote someone who has a disciplinary proceeding pending against them and is waiting appeal,” the source added.
In the force’s defence a police spokesman said the police chief had only been implementing the Cabinet’s decision which exceeded any authority Michalis Papageorgiou might have.
The spokesman said police could not intervene in the special committee’s recommendations and the fact that the 52-year-old’s name had been included for promotion and approved was out of the body’s hands.
The 52-year-old was acquitted in June for circulating a recording of his ex-girlfriend – also a much younger police officer – in December 2006 performing oral sex on him. The pair had recently broken up after having had an affair for several years before the mobile phone video clip was circulated. It is thought the 52-year-old had threatened to leak the image if the younger woman ended their relationship. The incident made headlines in January 2007 after the clip was aired on national television. At the time the video clip had already made the rounds on several mobile phones within the police force.
Due to the sensitive nature of the case, it was tried behind closed doors. Nevertheless sources said the court had been unable to convict the senior officer because it had been unable to conclude beyond reasonable doubt that the 52-year-old had been the source of the leak on a specific date and the subsequent spread of its transmission. The court did however rule that that the 52-year-old had made the recording on his phone.
“There wasn’t enough specific evidence but the court knew he’d had a hand in leaking the video clip,” the source said.
As well as criminal charges the senior officer is facing disciplinary prosecution. The latter was postponed pending the outcome of the criminal trial. However in light of an appeal filed by the state prosecutor opposing the 52-year-old’s recent acquittal, the disciplinary proceedings have been suspended further.
