The suicide of Dairy School student Vangelis Giakoumakis has opened the Pandora’s box on bullying with testimonies that have shocked public opinion. There are rumors that Giakoumakis may have left a suicide note that someone ripped up so as to avoid being implicated. There is also speculation as to whether he had been murdered.

Authorities are examining a video showing Vangelis with his peers at the school that could have been used to blackmail the young man. A security guard at the school states that the young student’s bed had been broken when the young man was out of the school. Upon his return he had to fix the bed to sleep. In another instance, cut hair was found at the doormat. A day prior to the national elections on January 25, Vangelis was tied to a chair and locked in a cupboard.

Another two boys are also believed to have been victims of bullying at the school. It is believed that the administration was aware of what was going on but inadequately stood by before the inevitable happened.

On her part, Maria Giakoumaki, the young boy’s mother will submit her testimony today to help police investigations unravel the mystery. The mother is being called to remember details from the last conversation she had with her son. There are already over a hundred testimonies from students and staff members at the Dairy School of Ioannina.

The Giakoumakis family lawyer Dimitris Boukas points to the video as extremely violent and humiliating. He said that toxologial reports are still expected and doesn’t rule out murder in the case of the young boy.

Public opinion with outrage and support for family

Hundreds of people marched in memory of the young boy in Thessaloniki on Sunday afternoon to express their solidarity for the boy’s family following the call of a Facebook page titled, “A March to Condemn the Killers of Vangelis”. The rally started from the White Tower with protestors marching through the main avenues of the city. The event ended with a minute of silence.