Police find abducted man in Paphos (Update1)

The victim of an alleged abduction in Paphos was found by police in Chlorakas close to the pizza place where he was beaten up and shoved into a vehicle by four other men.

According to Paphos police spokesperson Michalis Nicolaou, the victim is a 23-year-old man of Asian origin. He sustained external injuries, for which he is currently being treated.

An arrest warrant has been issued against a 27-year-old after police heard the testimony of the victim, who told officers that at around 5.45 on Wednesday, four men of apparent African origin approached him outside the pizza place and asked him to join him for a drink.

The 23-year-old refused, since he did not know them, and attempted to leave the premise when the four men immobilised him, shoved him into the car, stole his wallet after beating him up and let him walk away shortly after.

Police also placed the victim of the abduction under arrest for illegal stay in the Republic.

Nicolaou told the Cyprus News Agency that at 5:45pm on Wednesday, police received an anonymous tip that a man was beaten and shoved into a vehicle by four men in Chlorakas.

Police said that they were informed about the license plate numbers of the car, and that they began to search for it.

At the scene, police cordoned it off and took some evidence, which included a shoe and a mobile phone, which are believed to belong to the victim or the assailants.

Police said that during their investigations they found that the car is registered to a man not in Paphos, who he told police he sold to a Greek Cypriot through a website.

Later, police found the vehicle parked outside an apartment building in Tremithousa.

Police investigations are still ongoing to shed more light on the case.