Former MP candidate denies rape, blames political expediency

A parliamentary candidate accused of rape committed over 10 years ago denied the crime Saturday and blamed it on political expediency.

In a post on Facebook, Andreas Ttaouxis, a Larnaca municipal councillor running with ruling Disy, said he had no other choice but to withdraw his candidacy “not because I am guilty of anything.”

“All that is reported in the media is false, unfounded, and negatively affects the situation,” he said.

Ttaouxis said he did not want to enter a public debate, at least not before his vindication, but urged that his family was not targeted through “popular courts” and asked people to respect the presumption of innocence.

“A malicious and unfounded complaint that fills me with questions since it was submitted almost 11 years after the alleged incident and one month before the parliamentary elections,” he said. “There is no doubt in my mind about the expediency. I am certain the court will judge me fairly and I reserve all my rights as regards the instigators of this unethical behaviour against me.”

Police filed the case against Ttaouxis on Friday. He is expected to be referred to the criminal court for trial on May 18.

The woman reported the case to police in April and posted the accusations on Facebook without however, naming the candidate.

In the post, the woman said it happened at a time when “no authority and no society was prepared to listen to us during the panic.”

The woman said she decided to report the case now because she learned it was not the only time he had done it.

“From that moment, I started feeling I have a debt towards any other woman who is afraid to speak up.”

The woman said there was no political expediency “and from the moment the party did not know it is not responsible.”