Cyprus’ president fires police chief and deputy over embarrassing escape of convicted murderer

NICOSIA, Cyprus – The president of Cyprus on Sunday fired the police chief, his deputy and the acting director of the country’s central prison complex after a convicted murderer embarrassingly escaped while under guard for eight hours to visit his family.

Government spokesman Constantinos Letymbiotis posted on the social media platform

Themistos Arnaoutis will head the island nation’s police force, while Panikos Stavrou has been appointed his deputy.

Letymbiotis said the president could recommend Constantinos Constantinides to take over the management of the central prison.

Christodoulides wasted no time in returning after the escape of Doros Theophanous, who is serving a life sentence for the murder of his 24-year-old pregnant partner and their 4-year-old daughter in 2011.

A nationwide manhunt culminated in Theophanous’ arrest early Sunday after he was reportedly recognized while shopping at a supermarket in Limassol.

Three police officers and four prison guards who guarded 42-year-old Theophanous while he attended a family meeting at their home in Paphos have been suspended pending an investigation into possible dereliction of duty and other disciplinary offenses, according to a Justice Ministry statement.

A 26-year-old man is also in police custody on suspicion of helping Theophanous escape by driving him away from his guard detail.

The escape sparked widespread public outrage over the debacle, which damaged the police’s reputation as Christodoulides struggles with widespread perceptions of official corruption and ineptitude.