Kitas accused of beating suspected paedophile

A SUSPECTED paedophile was yesterday treated at Nicosia General Hospital after being beaten by two inmates at the Central Prison, one of whom was believed to be Antonis Prokopiou Kitas.

The Prison Director, George Tryphonides, has ordered an administrative investigation into the incident, while the police have also taken statements.

Kitas, who is currently in isolation, is denying being implicated in the case.

The man was attacked while being held in remand. He was treated and returned to prison a few hours later.

“Two convicts attacked a man who is in remand and was in that wing for his own protection,” said Tryphonides. “The specific detainee was on his way back to his cell and the incident took place in his cell.

“When the two convicts saw him enter his cell, according to witness reports, they attacked and beat him. An investigation was ordered and initial indications have led to two convicts.”

The police, he added, were immediately informed and are carrying out their own investigation into the matter.

Asked whether it was official that Kitas was one of the convicts and the detainee had been accused of paedophilia, Tryphonides said: “I confirm this information. You understand, the particular convict is denying he was implicated in the case. We are awaiting the police investigation. I have certain witness reports that implicate the specific convict.”

Asked how it was possible for Kitas to have been implicated in the attack, seeing that he is supposed to be in isolation, Tryphonides said there were times in the day where convicts in isolation are allowed out to eat or for other needs.

The two inmates are said to have taken offence to the suspected paedophile. Kitas is serving a life sentence for raping, brutally murdering two women and dumping their bodies in wasteland.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.