Ioannis Kapnoullas will continue in his capacity as acting prison director until February 9, the justice ministry announced on Tuesday.

This is linked to the sick leave extension granted to prison director Anna Aristotelous until the same date.

Following the developments, the justice ministry and public service commission decided Kapnoullas will remain in his position until February 9.

Last month he had been appointed to the post to cover while Aristotelous was on sick leave until January 20.

Kapnoullas was most recently Famagusta police deputy chief, and also holds a degree in criminology from the University of Portsmouth, a Master’s degree in International and European Economic Law from Neapolis University and a Master’s degree in National Security Strategy and Policy Studies from the National Security School of Greece.

The ministry also confirmed it had received a “lengthy letter” from the lawyers representing Aristotelous and her deputy Athena Demetriou on Monday, which it was examining.

Aristotelous and her assistant, Athena Demetriou, had requested their transfer to another public service last year, listing a number of reasons and raising security issues.