Makarios Drousiotis spoke of a vindictive trial as he left the Nicosia District Court, where he appeared today alongside “Sandy” in connection with the high-profile case.
The case was referred directly to trial before the Criminal Court, with Mr. Drousiotis stating that “we consider this to be a vindictive proceeding, intertwined with the ‘Mafia State,’ which was investigated by the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority and for which criminal investigations are currently underway.”
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He added that “instead of being a protected witness—as the state and its institutions were obligated to protect me—they are referring me to the Criminal Court in an abusive proceeding.”
He notes at the same time that this is a case that falls under the jurisdiction of the district court and not the criminal court.
“Even if the charges were valid—which, in our view, they are not—this is a case that falls under the jurisdiction of the district court and not the criminal court. We raised this issue during the proceedings, and the judge stated that it should go to district court, but according to the law, since the prosecutor requested a criminal court, she is required to refer it to a criminal court. This is proof that it is a vindictive referral.”
While he speaks of abolishing the Anti-Corruption Authority, while he speaks of the “troubles” that befell him, Odysseas Michaelides and Anna Aristotelous—who crossed the threshold of the Authority—and the message he is sending.
“Three people who appeared before the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority or turned to the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority— Odysseas Michaelides was fired, Anna Aristotelous is back in Criminal Court, and I am a key witness in the ‘State Mafia’ case. This amounts to the self-abolition of the Independent Anti-Corruption Authority—a message to anyone who has something to say or testify that, in such a case, they will be in for trouble. That is what is at stake; it is a clash between the rule of law and the “Mafia State.”
