On Sunday, police issued a prosecutor’s statement in the case of a former employee of the Health Ministry who worked in an office dealing with appeals submitted by the general public on coronavirus-related issues. The man is suspected of removing people’s names from the list of those required to be in isolation, in return for payment of a bribe. His remand has been extended until Wednesday and an indictment is expected to be issued shortly.
Police believe that the man abused his position to release people from their quarantine obligation after they appealed to the Health Ministry regarding their status. No epidemiological investigation was conducted into those paying for the suspect’s services despite the knowledge that they posed a health risk to others in the community.
In a statement, police noted that, “Police and the Prosecution Service operate in order to bring to justice anyone who chooses to disregard the Health Ministry guidelines, and due to his actions – whether due to negligence or to deliberate criminal action – endangers others and enables the coronavirus to spread.”