Erimi community leader Andreas Aresti said residents who had parked their cars outside a church were not at a service but may have been out in the fields picking wild asparagus.
Police have traced 14 people from their car registration plates and they are expected to be charged in court for breaking the lockdown decree.
This specifically prohibits members of the public from attending church services.
Police were alerted there was a service with a congregation yesterday, but when they finally entered the church found only monks and two members of the public. The rest were either hiding or had got away, a police spokesman told CyBC this morning.
But Erimi community leader said the bizarre case was just a misunderstanding.
He told Omega TV that he had gone into the church with the police. “There were only three people there,” he said.
Aresti added that he had also gone with police to the monks’ cells and found no one.
Asked about the cars parked near the church, he said it was customary for people to park there and then go off to pick wild asparagus (agrelia) and mushrooms.
“Is it prohibited to park where they want?” he queried.
But deputy police spokesman Stelios Stylianousaid that 14 people had been traced for cars’ licence plates and will be charged in court.
“Investigations continue and other people may also be questioned,” he said.
Earlier today, police chief Kypros Michaelides described the case as ‘serious’, hence it is being referred to court.
“We won’t do anyone any favours as our priority is to safeguard public health,” he said.
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Erimi congregation: 14 booked after tracing of licence plates
