Prosecution reportedly ordered by legal service in Phedonos rape case

Instructions have been issued for the criminal prosecution of suspended Paphos mayor Phedonas Phedonos in connection with an alleged rape case, according to information reported on Monday evening.

As first reported by Omega TV, the decision was taken by the legal service following its evaluation of the police case file and investigative material gathered over recent weeks.

The case is expected to be registered before a criminal court in the coming days.

The alleged offences relate to a complaint concerning an incident said to have occurred around 2014.

The case resurfaced earlier this year after businessman Theodoros Aristodemou made public accusations that prompted a police investigation and the reopening of the file.

Police had previously returned the completed case file to the legal service after carrying out additional investigative work requested by state prosecutors.

In a statement at the time, authorities explained the procedural process that led to the latest developments.

“Based on the prescribed procedure, an officer of the legal service evaluated the evidence and the information that had been gathered, and subsequently the relevant instructions were received from the police for further investigative work,” the office said.

“After the completion of the investigative work, the file was then returned to the legal service.”

According to reports carried by local media, the indictment expected to be filed will contain four criminal charges linked to the complaint.

Among the offences expected to appear in the indictment are rape and indecent assault.

Reports from Phileleftheros also indicate that prosecutors are considering an additional felony count relating to roaming while intoxicated with the intention of committing a crime.

Under Cypriot criminal law, such offences carry severe penalties and may lead to trial before a criminal court.

Police investigations have included statements from the alleged victim as well as testimony from more than ten witnesses.

Phedonos himself gave a lengthy statement to investigators roughly a month ago, accompanied by his lawyers.

The investigation also involved the collection of statements from individuals connected to the case, including associates of the alleged victim.

The controversy surrounding the allegations has been accompanied by a series of public claims and counterclaims since the case returned to public attention earlier this year.

Phedonos has rejected the accusations and described the case as politically motivated.

In a public statement posted earlier during the investigation, he said the allegations formed part of an attempt to damage his reputation.

He described them as “an orchestrated attack” and characterised the claims as a “political assassination”.

Additional allegations circulated in recent weeks following claims on social media by influencer Ioanna Photiou, also known as Annie Alexui, who alleged that Phedonos had assaulted his wife in 2017.

Louiza Andreou publicly rejected those claims and defended her husband.

“My family is being subjected to a coordinated attack,” Andreou wrote in response to the allegations, adding that her husband is “a wonderful man, decent and honest”.

Authorities previously indicated that investigators would examine all relevant testimony linked to the broader allegations surrounding the case.

Justice minister Costas Fitiris had also said arrangements could be made for statements to be taken from individuals currently abroad if necessary for the investigation.