Court of Appeal upholds dismissal of prison officer over drug possession

The Cyprus Court of Appeal has issued a final ruling upholding the 2016 dismissal of a prison officer who was found in possession of cannabis. The court overturned a previous decision by the Labour Disputes Court, which had initially declared the termination illegal and awarded damages to the officer.

The incident took place on February 6, 2016, when the officer was stopped by the Drug Law Enforcement Unit (YKAN) at approximately 2:00 a.m. while driving to work at the Central Prisons. Authorities discovered 1.3 grams of cannabis in his vehicle and 84 pills concealed in his socks. While chemical analysis confirmed the cannabis, the pills were found to be non-narcotic and unregulated substances. Following a three-month suspension initiated on February 8, 2016, the Acting Director of the Central Prisons formally dismissed the officer on April 22, 2016.

The appeal was filed by the Attorney General, the Director of the Central Prisons, and the Ministry of Justice, who argued that the disciplinary dismissal was justified given the circumstances. The Court of Appeal ultimately agreed, determining that the evidence provided sufficient grounds for the permanent termination of the officer’s employment, effectively ending the long-standing legal challenge.