2 men held for theft of Cyprus ex-leader‘s corpse

By MENELAOS HADJICOSTIS, Associated Press Writer Menelaos Hadjicostis, Associated Press Writer – 2 hrs 49 mins ago

Tassos Papadopoulos‘ corpse vanished after being dug up and stolen from its grave on Dec. 11. It was found Monday reburied in another cemetery on Nicosia‘s southern outskirts in what Justice Minister Loucas Louca called a case of bodysnatching for financial gain.

Charalambous said the Indian suspect disclosed the corpse‘s location, but received no money. He said the suspect also told investigators he was recruited by two Cypriot brothers, aged 44 and 48, to help exhume and conceal the body, and agreed in hopes of earning enough to begin a new life abroad.

The 44-year-old brother faces similar charges but did not appear in court, as he is already a convicted felon serving life in prison.

A Papadopoulos family spokesmen, Chrysis Pantelides, said Wednesday that no ransom demand was made, but that the family had spoken with an individual about "reward money" for information on the corpse‘s location — money which was never paid.

The suspects then allegedly loaded the corpse into a pickup truck, drove it to another cemetery several miles (kilometers) away and reburied it.

Speaking through a translator, the Indian suspect denied ever threatening the family, saying that he only "told them the truth," according to Charalambous.

The family said Papadopoulos would be reburied Thursday at Deftera cemetery.

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