The completion of statements from individuals whose names appear in messages linked to the “Sandy” case, together with the anticipated forensic findings from Europol, may lead to developments that could include the first arrest or arrests.
With the majority of individuals mentioned in the messages already having given statements to police investigators, the investigation is continuing at an intensive pace. The investigative team at Police Headquarters aims to obtain as clear a picture as possible of all aspects of the case while awaiting the results from Europol’s forensic laboratory.
According to a police source speaking to Politis, the combination of witness statements, Europol’s findings and the views of FBI specialists could lead to significant developments in a case that has been under investigation since the end of last March. The source noted that the scenario of arrests remains possible.
“It would not be a surprise if we hear about arrests, especially after the results from Europol,” the source said.
Statements from political figures
Political figures and former members of the judiciary have also given statements to investigators. During their testimonies, they responded to questions relating to aspects of the case connected to their names.
They also placed themselves at the disposal of investigators and indicated willingness, if necessary, to have their mobile phones and bank accounts examined as part of the ongoing investigation.
FBI team expected
Regarding the arrival of the specialised FBI team, Police Headquarters is awaiting confirmation of the exact date when the experts will arrive in Cyprus and begin their work.
In the meantime, the investigative team is working to ensure that transcripts of the statements already collected are translated so they can be examined by the FBI specialists.
References to Andreas Grigoriou
The name of Andreas Grigoriou, Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture, has emerged in newly published messages shared by Makarios Drousiotis. The same messages also again refer to Demetris Papadakis.
Drousiotis posted images of messages which, according to his claims, suggest that Grigoriou had been promised the position of Director General at the Ministry of Justice. The message, according to Drousiotis, was sent in December 2019.
He also published an image of a Council of Ministers decision dated 12 February 2020, according to which Grigoriou was appointed Deputy Director General at the Ministry of Justice. According to Drousiotis’ claims, the messages were exchanged between Demetris Papadakis and Michalis Christodoulou.
“The Council of Ministers decided to recommend to the Public Service Commission the appointment of Andreas Grigoriou as Deputy Director at the Ministry of Justice and Public Order, when the minister of justice was Giorgos Savvides, who today gives instructions to the police as Attorney General. In other words, ‘Sandy’, who according to the ‘well-informed’ press supposedly found information on the internet and fabricated messages, also had prophetic abilities: she predicted the future, even decisions of the Council of Ministers,” Drousiotis said.
Papadakis responds
The new publication prompted a strong reaction from Dimitris Papadakis, who said the only truth is that he maintains a friendly relationship with Andreas Grigoriou dating back to their university years.
Responding to Drousiotis in a social media post, Papadakis wrote: “To interpret prophecies your evidence must be genuine. Not fabricated and false, where you can insert any dates you wish. Rein him in… how much tolerance is there?”