Attorney-general George Savvides on Tuesday appointed former Supreme Court judge Andreas Paschalides as the independent criminal investigator of a video which emerged last week alleging campaign finance lawbreaking on the part of President Nikos Christodoulides and his associates.

Paschalides, 79, is a native of Paphos, and began practicing law in 1973, before being appointed as a judge for the first time in 1988, and then being appointed to the Supreme Court in 2009. He has also served on the independent police complaints commission.

The video first appeared on social media platform X last Thursday, shared by an account using the handle “EmilyTanalyst” and the name “Emily Thompson”.

It features Christodoulides’ now former chief of staff Charalambos Charalambous and former minister Giorgos Lakkotrypis appearing to explain how they used and intended to continue to use cash donations to circumvent election campaign finance laws.

Both men also appeared to say that donations to Christodoulides by oligarchs under threat of appearing on international sanctions list would lead to him defending and assisting them to avoid sanctions from the European Union.

Construction company Cyfield’s chief executive officer Giorgos Chrysochos, meanwhile, appeared to say that he pays €250,000 per year for his access to the government.

Additionally, it was alleged that the social support body, a fund managed by the first lady of the day which offers financial assistance to students from disadvantaged backgrounds, was being used by donors to curry favours with Christodoulides.

In light of the video’s publication, First Lady Philippa Karsera Christodoulides resigned from her role as the social support body’s chairwoman and Charalambous resigned from his role as chief of staff.

The government has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.