Minister wants coroner suspended

HEALTH Minister Frixos Savvides said yesterday he would seek the suspension of state pathologist Sophocles Sophocleous today following the results of a second post mortem on a man who died two weeks ago at the Nicosia General hospital

Savvides told journalists a disciplinary investigation had also been launched and was deemed necessary because explanations given by Sophocleous yesterday at an investigating committee left several questions unanswered.

The Minster said the investigation would establish whether the state pathologist was to blame for scientific errors, negligence or even ulterior motives, reports said last night.

Results of histological (tissue) tests released on Friday seemed to confirm the 44-year old road accident victim’s cause of death as pulmonary embolism, which contradicted the findings of the initial autopsy carried out by Sophocleous and observed by DIKO deputy and forensic pathologist Marios Matsakis.

The initial autopsy carried found the cause of death to be pneumonia and organ failure resulting from aspiration of gastric content.

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