MPs on Monday voiced astonishment at the red tape and procedural rigmarole in the civil service hampering the sharing of information regarding sexual harassment complaints made against a senior official at the education ministry, who got suspended from his position only days ago despite the complaint against him being filed in May 2023.

In parliament, it emerged that the education ministry, where the complainant works, did not share the file on the internal investigation with either the labour ministry or the ombudswoman.

Officials said they needed a legal opinion from the attorney-general’s office for the information to be shared. The attorney-general had apparently instructed the departments in question not to share the information, so the departments said their hands are tied.

In the civil service, allegations or complaints regarding sexual harassment are handled by the labour ministry – specifically the Department of Equality.

Nasia Dionysiou, of the ombudswoman’s office, said that when they asked for the file on the education ministry’s in-house disciplinary probe, “they told us they’re waiting for a legal opinion from the attorney-general”.

To this day, Dionysiou said, the ombudswoman’s office has not been handed the file.

“How are we supposed to move forward when they [the education ministry] say they’re waiting for a legal opinion…we don’t control the attorney-general,” she remarked.

Hearing this, some MPs said the affair smacks of a cover-up.

The ombudswoman had been alerted to the case by a female employee at the education ministry. In October 2024, the complainant, who had reported the senior ministry official for sexual harassment at the workplace, wrote to the ombudswoman urgently pleading for her help.

The reason was that the man who had allegedly harassed her, far from being removed from his duties, had just been promoted and was now her superior. The woman feared retaliation.

Having seen her complaint through the civil service go nowhere, the alleged sexual harassment victim reported the case to the police in early August 2024.

After investigating, police filed charges days ago – September 2025.

The trial before Nicosia criminal court is set to start on October 31, when the defendant will enter a plea.

Following news that the man has been indicted, the education ministry has finally moved to suspend him.

What is odd about the affair is that earlier – in November 2023 – the cabinet had ordered a disciplinary probe. But the probe concluded there was no tangible evidence of wrongdoing. No sanctions were imposed on the senior education ministry official.

Meanwhile, from the complainant’s letter to the ombudswoman – which daily Politis published in full – it transpires that the senior official has been formally accused of sexual harassment by another woman.

This other woman also works at the education ministry. She has likewise reported the case to the police. The attorney-general will now decide whether to prosecute for this case.

The woman who wrote to the ombudswoman further claims that more women have been sexually harassed by the same man, but they are afraid of coming forward.