Monastery scandal: more arrests, Greece role possible

Police on Wednesday said more arrests could be made in the Osiou Avakoum monastery scandal, while also raising the possibility that Greek authorities could be called on to help with the investigations.

This involvement of Greek authorities would be because some monks involved in the scandal were found to own property in Greece.

On Tuesday, a marathon court session led to the eight-day remand of Archimandrite Nektarios, one of the monks involved. The remand occurred in connection with an ongoing police investigation into financial crimes at the monastery, and featured 11 charges including money laundering, tax evasion, theft, forgery and interfering with court proceedings.

Court heard Nektarios had €1.1 million which he did not declare and allegations that he tried to influence witnesses in the case.

“In this case, if necessary, it will be done, if no action has already been taken,” police spokesman Christos Andreou said on Wednesday, commenting on the property in Greece and cooperation with Greek authorities.

“Nothing is out of the question,” Andreou said, when asked about the possibility of further arrests.

“From now on, a cycle of investigations begins on the basis of the testimonies we have recently secured, in order to secure all the evidence, all the testimony needed to be able to have a complete picture.”

Andreou explained that witness tampering was the reason why the eight-day remand of the archimandrite was requested. This was done on at least two other occasions recently.

The offence of interfering with judicial proceedings is also being investigated against him, he said.

According to reports, the police file includes several testimonies of believers who gave money to the monastery, including €8,000 for the purchase of chandeliers, €3,000 for a reliquary and €19,000 for icons of various saints.

For Nektarios’ part, his lawyer Adriana Klaedes described police’s remand request as an abuse of process, arguing authorities had the evidence before them since March.

Police investigator Panayiotis Panayiotou, who put forth the remand request and was questioned by Klaedes, stressed they had now collected sufficient evidence for the case and raised concerns that the monk may try to influence other witnesses.

“A delay alone cannot be equated with abuse and there is no suspicion of another motive,” the judge said to court after accepting Panayiotou’s case. He added the investigator wanted the case to be dealt with comprehensively and new evidence had emerged on June 14.

A slew of damning witness testimonies were referred to during Tuesday’s hearing, including suggestions that invoices for €320,000 in renovation works for the monastery were never submitted.

Police are also investigating alleged crimes by the Bishop of Tamassos Isaias, who had alerted the church to the scandal and is alleged to have brought close to 30 men and 10 hooded figures to remove the monks from the monastery forcibly.

Monks of the monastery are also facing a disciplinary process with the Holy Synod, as Isaias has filed his allegations for sex and cash to the church body.

The church is currently examining the issues raised by Isaias, with an investigative committee from the synod, having submitted their findings to the Holy Synod, who will issue the judgement through the ecclesiastical court.

The monks face defrocking. This is something they have questioned, as according to their legal team Isaias has already issued judgement for the alleged crimes.

Upon learning of the alleged crimes, he suspended the monks, something the legal team says means the church procedures underway indicate that there is double jeopardy.