By Nearchos Kyprianou
The long and winding saga of former Commissioner for Volunteerism Yiannakis Yiannaki came to an end on Thursday, when the Nicosia District Court sentenced him to three years in prison over the use of forged academic credentials.
Judge Nicole Gregoriou imposed an 18-month sentence for each of the three charges Yiannaki admitted to, all relating to the circulation of forged documents. The sentences for two of the charges will run consecutively and the third concurrently, bringing the total prison term to 36 months. The remaining charges were withdrawn by the prosecution.
The sentencing marks the culmination of a legal drama that has stretched over three years and four months. Yiannaki’s downfall traces back to May 2021, when then-President Nicos Anastasiades accepted his resignation after revelations that he had submitted doctored qualifications. The former commissioner, who had been appointed in 2013 after a career with the Youth Board, was accused of presenting a fraudulent high-school diploma and a falsified degree from San Diego State University when applying for public posts.
In May 2022, the attorney-general filed eight charges against him, covering forgery and circulation of forged documents. Yiannaki initially pleaded not guilty at his first hearing the following month. The case became bogged down in adjournments and changes of legal counsel.
One dramatic moment came in March this year, when the Nicosia District Court issued an arrest warrant after Yiannaki failed to appear at a scheduled hearing. His lawyer had submitted a medical certificate citing illness, but the judge was not convinced. Yiannaki was arrested, brought before the court, and later released.
Days later, in April, he returned with new legal representation and changed course, admitting guilt to three counts of circulating forged documents while continuing to deny that he had personally forged the papers.
Then, in August, state prosecutors stayed the forgery indictments altogether, leaving the court to rule only on the circulation charges. This meant the question of whether Yiannaki himself created the false documents will remain legally unresolved.
In delivering her ruling, Judge Gregoriou underlined that the seriousness of the offenses could not be overlooked, especially given the defendant’s position of public trust. At the same time, she acknowledged mitigating factors presented by the defense before handing down the custodial sentence.
