A 23-year-old Syrian prisoner, Abdul Kader Almfalani, died in the Central Prisons. Prison authorities alerted police around 2:15 a.m. on 13 December after finding him lifeless in his cell.
Paramedics rushed him to Nicosia General Hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead.
Nicosia CID members attended the scene, conducted examinations, and collected evidence for scientific tests.
Justice and Public Order Minister Konstantinos Fytiris visited the prisons and received a briefing on the incident.
Post-Mortem findings
The post-mortem took place the same afternoon. State pathologists Angeliki Papetta and Orthodoxos Orthodoxou performed it, joined by private pathologist Marios Matsakis representing the family.
Findings confirmed death by hanging. No external injuries or signs of assault appeared on the body, ruling out criminal action.
Samples were taken for histopathological tests to check for foreign substances.
Ongoing investigation
Police continue investigating the circumstances. Questions remain about how his cellmate did not notice the act and why preventive measures were absent in a wing allowing bedsheets.
Investigators examine recent events in the young man’s life. They will also take statements from family visitors to determine any prior indications of suicidal intent.
The case puzzles authorities and relatives alike, as Almfalani, father of two minors, was due for release in days.
Prison response
The incident has shaken the Central Prisons. All psychiatrists and psychologists have been mobilised to support affected inmates.
Minister Fytiris announced upcoming changes and measures in the prisons within days.
Source: Kathimerini, Philenews
Also read: CPT report reveals overcrowding and poor conditions in prisons
Subscribe to our Youtube channel for the latest updates.
