Paralimni mayor pleads not guilty to corruption charges

BELEAGURED Paralimni Mayor Nicos Vlittis and his son-in-law Andreas Kakoullis yesterday pleaded not guilty to eight charges of conspiracy to commit a crime, abuse of power and corruption.

Vlittis is accused of using his influence to hasten the issuing of building permits for coastal property developments by companies belonging to members of his family.

According to the allegations, just a few months before approval of development projects in Paralimni was switched from the municipality to the Town Planning Department, close relatives of the mayor purchased plots of land in the Kapparis area – which for years had been left undeveloped because the municipality would not provide road access – and were issued building permits and a road network by the municipality in record time, sending the value of their investment in the area soaring.

The prosecution is expected to call 68 witnesses including six council officials. The trial has been set for October 11.

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