Cyprus president fires police chief and deputy over the embarrassing escape of a convicted killer

The president of Cyprus on Sunday fired the chief of police, his deputy and the acting director of the country's central prisons complex following the embarrassing escape of a convicted murderer while under guard during an eight-hour pass to visit family.

Government spokesman Constantinos Letymbiotis posted on the social media platform X that President Nikos Christodoulides decided immediately on his return late Sunday from New York, where he attended the United Nations General Assembly, to replace Police Chief Stylianos Papatheodorou and his deputy, Demetris Demetriou.

Taking the reins of the island nation's police force is Themistos Arnaoutis while Panikos Stavrou has been appointed as his second in command.

Letymbiotis said the president could recommend that Constantinos Constantinides take over as acting Central Prisons director.

Christodoulides...