The Police version might well be true. That they were patrolling the Potamia area when three cars appeared, one of which drove towards an officer, who then fired (perhaps not at the tyres) and one of the passengers was wounded (fatally, as later proved).
The cars managed to escape towards the buffer zone where the Police couldn’t follow. However, at least one of these, the rental car that was shot at, was found in the government-controlled areas.
Inside was the wounded man, whom his fellow passengers tried to give first aid to, but when they realised he was already dead, they dumped him in an open space in Strovolos for someone to find and bury.
In an act of great magnanimity, instead of concealing evidence that might eventually lead to them, they left his passport with his details on the body so his family could be notified and wouldn’t live with the anxiety of not knowing what happened to their son, brother, friend.
They even left other papers showing his activities. Activities which were illegal, and logically his associates wouldn’t want revealed.
The body was found, the coroner saw nothing suspicious and concluded death from undetermined causes, ruling out foul play.
However, four days later, he returned, performed an autopsy and found the man died from haemorrhaging after being shot in the back.
And then, for some reason, the deceased was linked by the Police themselves to the shootings in Potamia.
That’s roughly how things unfolded, and there was no attempt at a cover-up from any side.
It was simply a series of random/unfortunate events that led to a very sad story unfairly tarnishing the Police.
Who are now moving heaven and earth to prove their version true, finding the ‘getaway’ car (these gentlemanly criminals don’t steal cars for their illegal work, but rent them using real names and ID, leaving trails behind). Arrests are imminent.
We’re saying this might be how things happened.
But how credible is this when simultaneously an officer has been arrested for helping (for payment) an escapee, and two others have been suspended over the same case?
When many others are suspended for other escapes? When we look back at the Police’s handling of countless cases?
Even though the scenario is full of holes, we’d like to believe it. After all, things aren’t any better in Greece, as the relevant minister would say.
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