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28th March 2024
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HomeNewsSavvas Vergas denies text charges

Savvas Vergas denies text charges

Savvas Vergas denies text charges
Savvas Vergas (photo Sigmalive)

FORMER Paphos mayor Savvas Vergas and three other defendants on Thursday denied charges relating to threatening text messages sent to witnesses in a land zoning case involving prominent businessman Theodoros Aristodemou, the owner of Aristo Developers.

Vergas, close associate Maria Solomonidou, her husband, and her father, face 11 charges including conspiracy to commit felony, threatening, and intervening in judicial proceedings.

The case was adjourned for May 22. The four defendants were released after posting bail, set at €10,000 for Vergas and Solomonidou who face more serious charges, and €5,000 for the other two.

Vergas and Solomonidou were also ordered to surrender their travel documents and their names were put on the stop list.

The charges relate to a suspected land-demarcation fraud case in Skali, Paphos.

It emerged that the plans for which the demarcation permits were issued were switched with new plans, which seemed to cede approximately 3,000 square metres, worth hundreds of thousands of euros, previously designated as green space, back to Aristo Developers.

Authorities have charged Aristodemou, wife Roulla, former municipal engineer Savvas Savva, and Aristo designer Christos Solomonides, Maria’s brother, in connection with the case.

At some point during the police investigation into the case, it emerged that two witnesses, a journalist, and Vergas himself, had received threatening messages.

Police found out that it was Vergas who bought the mobile phone used to send the messages on September 28.

Vergas admitted buying the phone, but claimed he got it for Maria Solomonidou, a municipal employee and close associate who dealt with social media and cultural events. She has since been sacked by the municipality.

She was arrested by police along with her father Elias, 64, and husband Constantinos Sifantos.

Her father sought to take the blame but authorities quickly confirmed that he had been lying.

Vergas is currently in custody on suspicion of corruption in connection with the construction of the Paphos sewerage system.

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3 COMMENTS

  1. Well someone sent them, someone holds ultimate responsibility for authorising the sending or ultimate responsibility for not supervising the individual who did send them. We must not forget the texts are only a smoke screen and example of institutionalised arrogance to the issue of fundamental fraud at the heart of this case.

    I can’t help feeling that all the free time being bestowed on those concerned is only facilitating a scapegoat to be organised in order to exonerate all directly involved with promises that the particular scapegoat and family will be well catered for and made financially secure for the rest of their days. Job done.

  2. These clowns are unbelievable. Just to highlight one area of this inquiry is the Paphos sewerage system. I read an article posted on Facebook by a UK tabloid paper. It alleged that the contract for the sewage system was awarded to a contractor which probably never went out to tender. If I remember correctly the original contract figure was around 68 million euro over a number of years which has now risen to 109 million euro. During this period the contractor has admitted handing over bags full of euros to the official in charge of the contract. During the inquiry by the police they found 5 million euro in one account and 2 million euro in another account.

    If you are going to take a bung in cash which shouldn’t be traceable you wouldn’t then trot off to the bank and put into your own account. I think this is just the tip of the iceberg and when these people start to chirp, a lot more things will start coming to light. I can’t wait for the next spin-off.

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