**Criminal Investigation Launched Over Alleged Falsification of Sick Leave Certificates in Cyprus Prisons**
A criminal investigation is currently underway involving a general practitioner and an orthopaedic surgeon in Cyprus, following allegations of collusion with prison officers to falsify sick leave certificates. The investigation was initiated after the audit office uncovered evidence suggesting that these medical professionals may have been involved in the improper issuance of sick leave documentation.
The audit office referred its findings to the attorney-general's office, which has since begun a formal investigation into the matter. A departmental official from the prisons department has provided a statement to investigators, naming the two doctors implicated in the case.
The referral to the attorney-general's office stems from a special report on the prisons department released in March 2023, which scrutinized sick leave records of prison staff from 2022 to 2024. Auditor-General Andreas Papaconstantinou commented on the findings, stating that they raised "serious suspicions of collusion between doctors and prison officers."
Investigators identified a total of 171 individuals who exceeded the statutory sick leave threshold of 42 days in at least one of the three years examined. Notably, 44 of these individuals surpassed the threshold in the last two years, while 34 officers exceeded it in all three years under review.
Particular attention has been drawn to eight prison officers who reported absences ranging from 43 to 229 days per year. These officers collectively submitted numerous sick leave certificates, predominantly issued by the two doctors currently under investigation. For instance, one officer who was absent for 205 days in 2023 and 202 days in 2024 provided 111 certificates over the two-year span, with 105 of those—approximately 94 percent—coming from the two implicated doctors.
The audit office conducted a cross-check of the sick leave certificates against visit records maintained by the health insurance organization (HIO) under the national health service (Gesy). The investigation revealed that for four of the eight officers, the general practitioner was listed as their personal doctor; however, a significant number of the sick leave certificates had no corresponding recorded visit. In the case of the remaining four officers, the doctor was not their registered GP, yet certificates were still issued without any logged visits.
Additionally, five of the eight officers submitted sick leave certificates from the orthopaedic surgeon. In one notable instance, an officer presented 54 certificates, but only six visits were recorded in the Gesy system, with just three of those visits aligning with the dates and diagnoses specified on the certificates. Investigators also discovered instances where medical visits occurred after the issuance of the certificates, raising further questions about the legitimacy of the sick leave claims.
The report highlighted that several certificates issued by the general practitioner pertained to orthopaedic conditions, such as arthritis, sprains, knee injuries, and neck pain. Intriguingly, one certificate issued by the orthopaedic surgeon cited "migraine" as the diagnosis, which appears inconsistent with the nature of the surgeon's specialty.
Moreover, a separate review of absences between January 2023 and May 2025 indicated that several officers delayed submitting their sick leave certificates, despite prison regulations mandating that such documentation be submitted by the next working day. These delays hindered timely referrals to the medical board, preventing assessors from verifying the authenticity of the officers' illnesses at the time the leave was granted.
As the investigation progresses, the implications of these findings could have significant repercussions for the individuals involved, as well as for the integrity of the prison system in Cyprus. The audit office's findings underscore the need for stringent oversight and accountability within the medical and prison sectors to prevent potential abuses of the sick leave system.
The outcome of this investigation will be closely monitored, as it could lead to further reforms in the management of sick leave protocols within the prisons department and beyond.