Sat, May 26 2012

Cyprus jails three for stealing ex-president's body

Tue, May 17 2011 10:38 CET

byVOANews

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Cyprus jails three for stealing ex-president's body

Tassos Papadopoulos, right, pictured in 2004


Photo: Reuters

A court in Cyprus Monday sentenced three men for robbing the grave of former President Tassos Papadopoulos in 2009.

All three were convicted of conspiracy, exhuming a corpse without a court order, and trespassing. They were acquitted of charges of blackmail and extortion.

Indian national Sabrjit Singh was given an 18-month prison term. Brothers Antonis Prokopiou Kitas and Mamas Kitas were given 20 months behind bars.

Antonis Prokopiou Kitas already is serving life in prison for murder. He is believed to have devised the grave robbery plot from his prison cell.

Singh and Mamas Kitas stole Mr. Papadopoulos' remains from his grave in the town of Deferta in December 2009, days after the first anniversary of his death.

Police found his corpse reburied in a cemetery three months later. They believe the three were seeking a ransom.

Source: VOANews.com

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