Man who escaped from TRNC prison arrested in south Cyprus

A Turkish national who is wanted by the TRNC police after escaping from hospital has been arrested in Paphos on Wednesday.

Yilmaz Gumus had escaped a Girne hospital on May 8 where he had been transferred while serving his prison sentence in a Girne prison.

He had been sentenced to life in jail and escaped to south Cyprus after he was taken to the hospital for medical treatment.

According to reports, he will face charges in south Cyprus for illegal entry as well as charges related to false documents he was found to have.

Another man who was with him was also arrested and both were found with a quantity of cannabis, according to Greek Cypriot broadcaster.

Gumus got three life sentences at a British court in 2005 after three people died as a result of a fire he set at a block of flats in Stoke Newington, north London, in 2003.

The fire had been intended for his girlfriend whom he suspected had been having an affair but she no longer lived there.

He asked to serve his time in a Turkish prison but managed to escape to north Cyprus in 2015 where he has since been serving time.

After getting transferred to the hospital, he escaped again.