University rector arrested over promotions procedure (Updated)

By George Psyllides

Police on Monday arrested the rector of the Limassol-based technical university TEPAK on suspicion of interfering with promotions procedures.

Elpida Keravnou was detained in connection with claims that she had interfered with the committee assessing lecturers between September and October 2014.
Authorities are looking into potential offences relating to abuse of authority, forgery and conspiracy to commit felony.

The decision to arrest the rector was taken during a meeting at the state law office on Monday morning.

The alleged offences concern the evaluation of candidates by a three-member committee.

It is understood that the committee drafted a list with those who were deemed eligible for promotion but a second list later appeared including those who had been excluded.

The rector’s arrest is the latest in a series of incidents at TEPAK.

Authorities have already charged the head of the university’s property management service, Zenon Achillides, 44, and a 51-year-old contractor, Giorgos Hadjigeorgiou, in connection with mismanagement of funds.

The pair face 20 charges including conspiring to commit a felony, forgery, circulating a forged document and obtaining money through false pretences.

Achillides was also charged with receiving bribes and abuse of authority. Both have denied all charges. Their trial is scheduled for June 3.

The charges concern offences committed between 2005 and 2009 relating to three buildings rented by TEPAK for almost €16m.
Achillides was also arrested last week along with Andreas Malloupas, 66, the former head of administration and finance, for offences relating to other TEPAK property.

Among others, the pair could face charges relating to abuse of power, bribery, forgery and money laundering.

Auditor-general Odysseas Michaelides said recently that the case of misappropriation of funds at TEPAK might even be bigger than the Paphos Sewerage Board scandal, which has so far seen the town’s mayor and the board’s director jailed for six years.

The TEPAK affair concerns millions of euros in contracts for around 60 buildings acquired to accommodate students.

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