Criminal charges 12 years later for poor investigation on Andreas Loizou’s death

An investigator will face criminal charges for deliberately failing to properly investigate the road death of Andreas Loizou back in 2012, the attorney general said on Thursday.

The announcement came almost 12 years after Loizou’s death, who was killed after a fatal road accident in Moutayiaka when he was 17.

The driver believed to have killed him was never arrested, amid allegations last year that police deliberately failed to look for the driver, as she is allegedly well-connected politically.

Police denied there was ever a cover-up, after it emerged press releases of the case disappeared from the website. The missing information was attributed to a website upgrade – however other press releases from the same year were available.

The case was re-opened last year and Attorney General George Savvides’ decision on Thursday centered only on the last two points:

• the instigator of the accident (the female driver)
• the driver who swerved to avoid the former and ended up killing Loizou
• the police investigators

Where the police investigators are concerned, Savvides determined they did not deliberately neglect their duty – with the exception of one case.

As such, the investigators on the case will not face criminal charges but it is up to the police chief to decide if they should face disciplinary proceedings.

For the investigator that will face criminal charges, Savvides said it appeared he knew what he had to do but “consciously omitted to do so.” As such, this could constitute a neglect of official duty

In this case, the neglect “took the case in a wrong direction.”

The accident took place under Moutayiaka bridge on September 2, 2012 in the early hours of the morning. Loizou was driving his motorbike and a car behind him with a female driver tried to overtake him.

An incoming car with a 21-year-old driver swerved to avoid her and instead crashed into Loizou, who died.

Savvides’ announcement made mention of the instigator of the accident but said nothing about renewed efforts to try and locate her.

Rather, the announcement focused on the second driver, who was 21 at the time and said he would not face criminal charges.

Savvides said although the driver had “sufficient visibility and realised that an unknown car entered his lane, he failed to take any deterring measures such as stepping on his brakes or swerving left.”

Who’s to blame?

Alcohol consumption contributed to this, according to the AG, as the 21-year-old at the time had been driving under the influence.

In his own statement, the driver said he waited to see if the other driver would alter her course but it was only when he realised she was not stopping that he made a sharp turn – which ultimately cost Loizou his life.

The alleged female driver – who has yet to be formally identified – left the scene.

Nonetheless, the AG found the 21-year-old had perceived the danger but failed to “react in a timely manner.”

As such, this made his driving dangerous.

Nonetheless, Savvides determined that as there has not been any new witness material and that the driver understood he would never face any charges in all the years that have passed, as well as due to his personal circumstances, he will not face any charges.