Nicosia, Cyprus. Serious irregularities in sick leave, overtime payments and operational procedures in the prison system were highlighted in an audit office report presented on Tuesday by auditor-general Andreas Papaconstantinou. The report covers the last two years and describes a system under pressure with organisational gaps and weak internal controls.
Findings on sick leave documentation
The report describes a system that “cannot be considered operationally functional” and points to suspected abuse of medical leave. It cites the case of a prison guard who was absent for more than 200 days a year in both 2024 and 2025, submitting 111 medical certificates while only six visits were recorded in the national health scheme (Gesy) database.
The audit found that about 95 per cent of the certificates were issued by two specific doctors, raising questions about the legitimacy of the documentation. Papaconstantinou said this “creates serious suspicions of collusion between doctors and prison guards, with the aim of creating and submitting false representations and, by extension, defrauding the state”.
According to the report, the audit office intends to refer the matter to competent authorities for further investigation.
Discrepancies with health system records
The audit identified inconsistencies between submitted medical certificates and records in the general health system, including cases where doctors issued certificates without corresponding recorded visits and situations where diagnoses differed from those registered in the health database.
It also cited a case in which a prisons department officer returned to work for a single day in January 2025 after 488 days of continuous sick leave. Another employee was absent for a total of 544 days over recent years due to prolonged medical leave while remaining in a senior position.
Operational weaknesses and procedures
Beyond sick leave issues, the report described serious operational weaknesses within the prison system, including the absence of formal protocols for many administrative and emergency procedures.
What changes do you think are needed to strengthen oversight and internal controls in the prison system?
