Corruption in prison service ‘endemic’
Convict Doros Theofanous who escaped police custody right under the watch of authorities was allegedly on the receiving end of preferential treatment for years, and was frequently allowed home visits and theatre nights, it emerged on Thursday.
According to a report in Philenews, those handed a life sentence are not allowed home visits for the first ten years of their term. Theofanous however, was allegedly getting permits from 2019 – three years earlier than he should have.
More so, not only did he get home visits but even permits to go to the theatre with guards, the report claimed.
The prison service was not immediately available for comment. An ongoing investigation into his escape from his family home where he was watched by seven-member guard is currently underway, while the police chief, his deputy and acting prison director have all been fired.
Honorary visiting professor at Cambridge university in criminology Andreas Kapardis told the Cyprus Mail the case has brought to light the urgent need of reform in the prison service.
“There are serious internal problems regarding corruption” within the prison, which has reached endemic levels.
“This entails problematic relationships between staff and inmates,” which undermines any notion of trust in the system, Kapardis underlined.
“If you can bribe or have relations with prison staff to have privileges which are contrary to the prison rules,” then this is a serious problem, he said.
Though he did not wish to comment on the specifics of this case due to the ongoing investigation, Kapardis said that if the allegations surrounding Theofanous’ preferential treatment are true, this screams abuse of power.
“The prison needs an overhaul to respond to the challenges of the 21st century.”
He specified there is a different between granting a home visit to a convict to attend a funeral or to “eat, drink and be merry, frequently and without precautions.”
“What is lacking is professionalism.”
Theofanous was sentenced to life in 2012 after he murdered his 24-year-old pregnant partner and her three-year-old daughter but sparked panic across the country when he slipped away from his guards while visiting his family home in Choletria, Paphos.
His escape sparked a manhunt across the country and he was eventually captured three days later.