**Nicosia, TRNC** – A senior official in the Turkish Cypriot administration is currently embroiled in a serious legal imbroglio, facing a raft of grave accusations including money laundering, bribery, and abuse of office. Huseyin Cahitoglu, the Undersecretary to the Turkish Cypriot 'Prime Minister' Unal Ustel, was recently remanded in custody for an additional five days as the investigation into his alleged illicit dealings intensifies. The allegations, which have sent ripples through the island's political landscape, paint a picture of potential corruption within public institutions.
The escalating scrutiny surrounding Cahitoglu began with suspicions of bribery, but has since broadened significantly. Authorities have now formally added money laundering charges to the existing indictment, which also encompasses extortion and the illegal possession of firearms. Reports from local media outlets, including Kibris Gazetesi and Cyprus Mail, suggest that the accusations are rooted in allegations of Cahitoglu demanding substantial sums of money in exchange for facilitating transactions within government departments. Specifically, police officer Ethem Hoca reportedly detailed how Cahitoglu is accused of unlawfully receiving approximately €220,000 and £35,000 between 2022 and 2024 for matters handled in Nicosia's administrative centres. Further accusations include an alleged offer of a £200,000 bribe to a civil servant to expedite the illegal leasing of land, and a further £200,000 demand for facilitating other illicit governmental processes. A search of Cahitoglu’s residence uncovered two nine-millimetre magazines and fifty rounds of ammunition, adding another layer to the legal predicament.
This domestic legal drama has, rather unexpectedly, become intertwined with an international legal development concerning an Iranian-born businessman residing in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Behdad Jafari. South Cypriot authorities had sought Jafari's extradition from France via a European Arrest Warrant (EAW), ostensibly related to complaints of property violations. However, the French judiciary, specifically the Aix-en-Provence Court of Appeal, decisively rejected this extradition request on December 10, 2025. The French court's reasoning hinged on the principle that European Union law is currently suspended and therefore inapplicable within the territory of Northern Cyprus.
This French judicial decision has been seized upon by the TRNC administration as a significant validation of its sovereignty. Unal Ustel, the 'Prime Minister' himself, publicly declared that the French court's ruling reinforces the established legal viewpoints of the TRNC regarding the non-applicability of European Arrest Warrants within its jurisdiction. He asserted that the decision underscores the TRNC's sovereign rights and effectively negates any authority South Cyprus might claim in the north. Kibris Gazetesi further highlighted that this outcome serves to affirm the TRNC's established legal stance, suggesting that the Immovable Property Commission within the TRNC provides an effective domestic legal recourse for property-related disputes, thereby diminishing the relevance of external legal mechanisms.
The ramifications of Cahitoglu's ongoing legal battles are substantial, both domestically and in terms of international perception. The accusations of corruption at such a high level within the administration could have a chilling effect on public trust and necessitate a thorough review of governance protocols. Concurrently, the French court's ruling on the Jafari extradition case, while seemingly unrelated to Cahitoglu’s personal charges, has significant political and legal implications for the TRNC’s standing and its assertion of autonomy from certain EU legal frameworks. The situation remains fluid, with further developments expected as the investigation into Cahitoglu's alleged financial misconduct continues.