Two held over president's corpse theft

Reuters

CYPRUS PRESIDENT: The body of Tassos Papadopoulos will be laid to rest, again, this week, after being held for ransom for three months.

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A Cyprus court has remanded two men in custody on suspicion of snatching the corpse of former Cyprus President Tassos Papadopoulos and holding it for ransom for three months.

The men, a 31-year-old migrant from India and a 48-year-old Greek Cypriot, are suspected of being behind the bizarre crime, for which one of them received just 200 euros (NZ$389) for his assistance to the other suspect, a court heard.

The two men are suspected of raiding Papadopoulos's tomb in December, armed with a pick and a shovel, and burying him elsewhere.

The body, discovered on Monday, will be reburied on Friday afternoon in his tomb at a community south of the capital Nicosia, a spokesman for the family said.

A third man, thought to have masterminded the theft, is already serving a prison sentence for other offences and did not appear in court. He is the brother of the Greek Cypriot suspect.

Police were led to the macabre discovery after the Indian suspect, who authorities say has confessed involvement, made contact with Papadopoulos's family this week.

"The suspect said he felt remorse, so decided to ask for money to reveal where the body was hidden and leave Cyprus," said Yiannakis Charalambous, a superintendent with Cyprus police. The family did not pay any money.

Papadopoulos was president of Cyprus from 2003 to early 2008. He died of lung cancer later that year. When his grave was robbed, police spoke of a carefully planned operation and sought help from Interpol and Western intelligence agencies.

But in a statement to police, the Indian suspect said he and the Greek Cypriot suspect were the only ones involved.

The Greek Cypriot had told the Indian they would "dig up a corpse and get money." The Indian was paid 200 euros with the promise of more which was not forthcoming, however, Charalambous told the court.

Neither man has been charged. Under Cyprus law suspects can be held in custody on court orders to assist inquiries.

- Reuters