Main suspect in Tepak cheating case admits she was involved

The prime suspect in an alleged misappropriation of EU-funds at the technical university (Tepak) and the Oceanography Centre of the University of Cyprus (UCy) has admitted she had been involved in the case and implicated new people, it was reported on Wednesday.

The hearing of the case at the Limassol criminal court was adjourned on Wednesday for December 15 after a new charge sheet for the seven suspects including Rozita Pavlidou, was submitted to court which raised charges from 306 to 436.

The postponement, according to state broadcaster CyBC was due to new testimony given by Pavlidou on Monday in which she admits to her involvement in the case and provides more information implicating other suspects. She also provided information that involve new people in the case, the report said.

The case concerns 23 EU co-funded programmes worth €5m between 2008 and 2015. Pavlidou is a former employee of Tepak, who managed the research programmes in question.

She is believed to have abused her position to force professors to hire her relatives for research programmes and threaten them if they posed any objections.

The other suspects are Pavlidou’s son and daughter-in-law, a professor of Tepak, a businessman, and two senior officials of the UCy. All suspects remain free under restrictions.

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