ATTORNEY-general Solon Nikitas yesterday resigned in protest at a Supreme Court decision acquitting former Health Minister Dina Akkelidou, who had been found guilty of interfering with the course of justice.
Akkelidou was forced to resign late in November last year after a Nicosia district court sentenced her to a £1,000 fine for sending a letter to a district court judge seeking a lenient sentence for a drug suspect whose trial the judge was hearing.
Akkelidou appealed against the decision soon afterwards and the Supreme Court plenum yesterday decided, by majority vote – nine to three – to set aside the initial decision and acquit the former minister.
The appellate court’s decision came as a surprise to legal circles but the biggest surprise followed shortly afterwards when Nikitas resigned in protest.
In an unprecedented move, the highly regarded, no-nonsense Attorney-general slammed the Supreme Court decision, which he described as being “groundless” and lacking any legal support.
“I have never commented on a Supreme Court decision before.
“But this case cannot be overlooked,” Nikitas said in a written statement.
He added: “It is soundly bound with the quintessence of administering justice, the principles of the rule of law and the democratic principle of the separation of powers.
“It is also related to the existence, endurance and the quality of the institutions in a free and democratic society.”
In its decision, the Supreme Court majority said the communication with the judge was not allowed, but it did not constitute criminal communication because it could not interfere with the course of justice as it could not affect the judge.
Nikitas rejected this argument and backed the ruling of the three Supreme Court judges who stood by the initial district court decision.
The three judges argued that what was important was what the perpetrator had intended and not the objective consequence of the act.
Nikitas said he was saddened by the decision, adding that there was no point for him to continue to hold the office of Attorney-general, “because, apart from what I have already said, this would conflict with my visions for justice and everything I did all these years with many dangers, for it to prevail,” Nikitas said.
