Man returns to give evidence over beatiing

ONE OF two 27-year-old men whose brutal beating at the hands of Nicosia plain clothes officers last year was captured on tape, was yesterday back in Cyprus to assist criminal investigators with their inquiry.

Marcos Papageorgiou, who on December 23 was repeatedly beaten by five officers – four MMAD (Mobile Rapid Reaction Unit) officers and one female constable – after he and a friend were pulled over for a routine ID check, only recently returned from the UK where he had been recuperating from the incident, his father said.

Dr Yiannakis Papageogiou told the Cyprus Mail his son had gone back to the crime scene on Wednesday to show criminal investigators where he and Yiannis Nicolaou had been battered.
“Various measurements were taken at the scene and some additional things were done,” he said.
Papageorgiou said the time away in the UK had done his son good, but that talking about it and re-watching the video had dredged up the painful memory of his attack.

“He is not in a very good psychological condition and would prefer not to talk [to the media]. He’s given his statements to the investigators and it will be going to court soon. Other than that, he’d rather not comment,” his father said.

Sources said the investigators were putting the final touches to their report and that the Attorney-general should have it no later than next week.

No one at the Justice Ministry, police spokesman’s office or Legal Services was yesterday able to confirm when exactly the criminal investigation would be concluded.

Last month AG Petros Clerides said the criminal investigators report was only days away from completion.

The story first appeared the day after the event, with no immediate consequences. The story only realy hit the headlines in April after an anonymous video recording of the event was leaked to Politis newspaper. Since then all relevant authorities have stepped up efforts to complete their investigations into the matter.
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