Former Asomatos leader sentenced for embezzling community funds

On Friday, October 3, 2026, a court in Limassol handed down a two-year suspended prison sentence to a former community leader of Asomatos. The official was convicted of embezzling 45,278 euros in water supply fees collected from residents without issuing receipts between 2011 and December 31, 2016, the date his term ended. The discrepancy was uncovered during the handover process to his successor, triggering an audit that confirmed the missing funds.

The defendant faced seven charges, including theft by a public servant, abuse of power, and money laundering. In reaching its verdict, the court noted that while the defendant admitted to the offenses and expressed a willingness to repay the money, he has yet to do so. The sentence was suspended for three years due to the significant amount of time elapsed since the crimes, the defendant’s advanced age, his poor health, and his admission of guilt. The court emphasized that as an elected official, his actions represented a severe breach of public trust.