Investigation launched into Cyprus doctors and prison officers over falsified sick leave certificates
A criminal investigation has been initiated into a general practitioner and an orthopaedic surgeon following Auditor-General Andreas Papaconstantinou's referral of findings suggesting collusion with prison officers to falsify sick leave certificates. The audit office's special report examined prison staff sick leave records for 2022 to 2024 and uncovered significant irregularities involving extended absenteeism and questionable medical documentation.
Investigators identified 171 prison officers exceeding the statutory sick leave threshold, with eight officers absent between 43 and 229 days annually submitting numerous certificates predominantly issued by the two doctors under scrutiny. Many certificates lacked corresponding medical visits according to the Health Insurance Organisation and the national health service (Gesy), and some visits were recorded after certificates had been filed.
The report also highlighted delays in submitting sick leave certificates, impeding timely medical board assessments to verify officers' genuine illness. The attorney-general's office is currently pursuing the case as the investigation continues into potential malpractice and collusion within the prisons system.
No news yet
CYPRadar is a state-of-the-art, AI-powered Cyprus news aggregator that automatically crawls, filters, and translates local updates in real time. By continuously scanning a wide range of trusted Cypriot media outlets, blogs, and official RSS feeds, the platform identifies original stories and uses advanced language models to filter out duplicate coverage. The service then generates concise, objective summaries, ensuring that readers get a quick and clear understanding of every significant event without information overload.
The primary mission of CYPRadar is to provide comprehensive, multi-language coverage of Cyprus news to keep both residents and international visitors well-informed. The platform covers key events across all major cities and districts, including Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos, and Famagusta. By offering all updates simultaneously in five languages — English, Russian, Greek, Ukrainian, and Turkish — CYPRadar bridges communication gaps and ensures that everyone has equal access to critical local information, from policy changes to community events.
Follow police reports, crime statistics, and justice updates in Cyprus. Read about local law enforcement operations, safety measures, judicial court cases, road safety controls, and community policing initiatives.