Cyprus investigates prison director’s blackmail allegations

NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus’ top lawyer has appointed an investigator to probe allegations by the country’s prisons’ director that a senior police officer had tasked an inmate to gather any information or video about her private life that could be used to blackmail her. Attorney-General George Savvides on Monday appointed lawyer Achilleas Emilianides to carry out a criminal probe into allegations made by Anna Aristotelous and senior Prisons official Athena Demetriou against the unnamed police officer. Savvides said the investigation will conclude in about a month. Aristotelous didn’t specify what the possible motives would be for the unnamed senior police officer to allegedly recruit the services of the inmate who is serving a long sentence on a drug conviction.