Global General

Recovered body of Cyprus' ex-president reburied

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-03-12 02:16

NICOSIA - Former President of Cyprus Tassos Papadopoulos was reburied on Thursday after his remains had been stolen and recovered.

The remains were placed to his final resting place at a cemetery in the Nicosia suburb of Deftera, from where it had been snatched three month ago.

Members of his family, government ministers, leaders of political parties and dozens of political friends from his own party were present at a burial ceremony officiated by the local Bishop.

Papadopoulos was President of Cyprus from February 2003 to February, 2008, when he was defeated in presidential elections by his former coalition partner Demetris Christofias. He died of cancer 10 months later.

Police were led to the recovery of his remains from a grave at a nearby cemetery on Tuesday when an Indian immigrant alleged to have been involved in the stealing tried to get money from the family.

The Indian immigrant claimed that the theft was masterminded for ransom within a prison cell by Cyprus' most notorious criminal, a serial killer serving a life sentence for the murder of two foreign women.

He and his brother, who is suspected of being the actual snatcher of the remains, deny any involvement.

The prison director said on Thursday that the convict was placed in solitary confinement for 15 days until investigations into the case are completed.