The 19-year-old who escaped from the Lakatamia police detention center has remained at large for the past 24 hours.
On Saturday afternoon, authorities arrested a 45-year-old relative of the young man.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
As reported by journalist Katerina Ioannou on Alpha TV’s main newscast, the man is the 19-year-old fugitive’s uncle, who appears to have contacted the authorities immediately after the escape, with authorities investigating whether he helped him flee the area.
The 45-year-old was arrested on charges of aiding and abetting after the crime was committed.
No key was needed, nor was any complicated plan. The detainee punched the window bars in his cell, managed to break through them, and then escaped from the Lakatamia police holding cells.
The young man from Syria was discovered to be missing around 7:45 p.m. last night during the head count. An alarm was sounded, and police launched a manhunt to locate him.
An emergency meeting was held this morning at Police Headquarters.
“During the meeting, senior leadership was briefed on the events and the actions taken from the moment the escape was discovered. The criminal aspect of the case is being investigated by a team from the Nicosia Criminal Investigation Department.”
Kyriakos Theodorou – Police Communications Division
The 19-year-old was transferred to the Lakatamia detention center following a decision by the Limassol District Court to remand him in custody pending trial. He remains at large.
“Intensive efforts and investigations are continuing to locate and arrest the fugitive,”
said Kyriakos Theodorou
An investigation has been ordered into the incident.
READ ALSO: Escape in Lakatamia: Relative of the 19-year-old in handcuffs
However, what is concerning is that this is not an isolated incident. This is the second time in about two years that a detainee has managed to bypass the security measures at these detention facilities.
Recently, the “Equality” Union had lodged complaints about these problems, citing an increased number of detainees and understaffing. In fact, it reported that staff are having difficulty effectively supervising all detainees, while police cadets are also being called in to help with security.
READ ALSO: Headquarters in an uproar over the escape: An emergency meeting led by senior officials reviewed the facts so far
The question now is: What went wrong for the second time at the Lakatamia detention center?
The police have released his details to the public in an effort to locate him. Authorities are investigating—among other possibilities—the possibility that the fugitive fled toward the Buffer Zone and is hiding in the area.
Watch Katerina Ioannou’s report:
