Sarikas to appear in court on Monday

By Evie Andreou

EDEK MP and former Paphos mayor Fidias Sarikas expressed his faith in the justice system on Friday as he is about to appear in court on Monday for his alleged role in the town’s sewerage scandal.

Sarikas faces seven charges, including bribery, proceeds from illegal activities and corruption.

He is accused of receiving bribes to arrange for a German company to be awarded a contract to build a waste management plant in 2000.

He was implicated in the case by the Paphos sewerage board manager Eftychios Malekkides, who claimed he was approached by Sarikas and a now deceased former municipal councillor in 2000 and asked to award a tender for Phase 1 of the town’s sewage project to a contractor that had promised them money.

Malekkides claimed in his statement that the two promised to include him in the deal and that he took the bribe because of his financial woes. He added that he tried to put an end to the operation but was blackmailed by both Sarikas and his successor, former mayor Savvas Vergas.

Sarikas said in a statement on Friday that the conspiracy against him based on lies and slanders “is completed with the formulation of charges and my referral to trial”.

“I am certain that the truth will shine, plots will be revealed, slander will collapse and the cowardly and ruthless schemers will irremediably remain exposed,” the announcement said.

Despite that Sarikas, who after the allegations were voiced, had asked the Attorney-general to lift his parliamentary immunity to prove his innocence, his lawyers had later told the Supreme Court there was not enough evidence to justify the move.

The Attorney-general filed a request and the Supreme Court decided to lift his immunity. Sarikas voluntarily suspended his party membership pending the court’s ruling.

After Monday’s hearing, the case will be referred to the criminal court.

 

 

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