Ayia Napa police reject coercion allegations
Ayia Napa police are responding to allegations of misconduct in the ongoing gang rape case, rejecting a report that suggested officers forced a British teen to withdraw her complaint.
According to Philenews, police spokesman Christos Andreou has dismissed misconduct allegations following a story in The Sun that reported the alleged victim, a 19-year-old British female, claimed that police officers dictated her confession and used threats to make her sign a false statement.
“Cypriot police reject these allegations and reiterate that the 19-year-old British woman asked to make additional statements, by which she withdrew the allegations she had made the first time,” Andreou said.
According to the Sun, the rape accuser who said last month she was gang raped in an Ayia Napa hotel room, gave her side of the story to friends prior to her arrest on Sunday, July 28, claiming local police officers dictated a confession statement for her by which she admitted faking the allegations.
A text message purported to have been communication between the alleged rape victim and friends was included in the foreign media story, suggesting the teenager had been unaware of her impending arrest until she moments prior to her detention.
According to the story, the girl had messaged her friends warning them of “bad things with police” and that officers were threatening to issue international warrants against them on conspiracy charges.
But Andreou questioned the story by the Sun, saying the alleged rape victim was ordered to hand over her phone and belongings at the time of her arrest.
“Police handled the case with professionalism from the beginning,” the spokesman said according to Philenews, adding that statements alleging the opposite are baseless.
A text message sent by the rape accuser to friends alerting them of her situation appeared to have been an incomplete text, according to the Sun.
“I said I have a right to have a lawyer here. Not in Cyprus, maybe the UK not Cyprus. They’ve honestly made me sign false . . . ”
An arraignment has been scheduled for Wednesday, August 7, when the British teen will answer to charges of public mischief. Her lawyers have said they would have “no comment” on the matter until court hearing.
The rape accuser is being accused of making false statements to police on July 17, following an alleged gangbang sexual incident described as rape by the British teen.
Twelve Israeli teens were arrested following the rape complaint but have since been released on what police said was lack of incriminating evidence and an admission by the rape accuser that her allegations were false.
[Kathimerini Cyprus]
