Relatives of the victims of the deadly fire in Mati erupted after the announcement of the sentences of the six convicts, which are redeemable for 10 euros per day.
“Let’s make them a fundraiser and give them donations,” they shouted.
In fact, unable to contain their anger, some relatives approached the court and the accused in a threatening manner and even threw chairs.
Earlier, when the verdict on the 21 accused was announced, the protests were intense: Worthless wretches, miserable animals, don’t you have children?”
In total, the court found 6 of the 21 accused guilty. Immediately afterwards the relatives in the courtroom shouted “shame on you” to the court.
Shortly afterwards and especially during the speeches of the lawyers of the six convicted persons on the recognition of mitigating circumstances, the relatives erupted again.
Audience: They tore our homes apart… your court is an insult to the dead to the living and to the truth.
President: You may step outside…
Audience: I hold you personally responsible for the mess this country is in. Get us all out!
Woman: None of you are wearing pants. All honest family men…
President: Don’t interrupt.
Woman in Audience: I can’t, Im drowning. I’m having a stroke now.
Man in Audience: She lost her 24-year-old child… let her be.
President: You will not interrupt the counsel!
Woman: Will I ever find them to tell them?
“All of Greece knows what happened and we were counting on you…” a relative of victims of the deadly fire shouted to the court.
Other relatives burst into tears upon hearing the verdict of guilt of only six accused.
It will be recalled that in its decision the court partially adopted the prosecution’s proposal and declared them guilty:
– Sotiris Terzoudis then chief of the fire brigade (manslaughter by negligence and bodily harm by negligence for the helicopter diversion)
– Vassilis Mattheopoulos, then deputy chief of the Fire Brigade (manslaughter by negligence for the death of 9 people at sea
– Ioannis Fostieris, then head of ESKE (manslaughter by negligence)
– Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos then Commander of Athens Fire Services (manslaughter by negligence for 102 people, bodily injury by negligence for 32 people),
– Charalambos Chionis then Commander of the Fire Services of Eastern Attica (manslaughter by negligence for 102 people, bodily injury by negligence for 32 people) and
– Konstantinos Angelopoulos, a resident from whose yard the fire started.
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The court recognized Sotiris Terzoudis, Ioannis Fostieris, Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos and Charalambos Hionis as having a mitigating circumstance of prior legal life. Earlier, the prosecutor proposed to recognize the mitigating circumstance of previous legal life to S. Terzoudis, Ioannis Fostieris, Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos and Charalambos Hioni, while he recommended to reject the mitigating circumstances for V. Mattheopoulos and K. Angelopoulos.
“And don’t forget to give them praise,” Zoe Konstantopoulou shouted to the court while the decision on the sentences of the six defendants found guilty is expected to be announced.
Fire Department officials Christos Golfinos, Philip Panteleakos, Damianos Papadopoulos, Christos Lambris, Christos Drosopoulos, Georgios Portozoudis and Stefanos Kolokouris were found not guilty, the then ELAS Airborne Officer Charalambos Syrogiannis, the then Secretary General of Civil Protection Ioannis Kapakis, the then Regional Governor of Attica Rena Dourou and the then Mayors of Marathon Elias Psinakis and Penteli Dimitrios-Stergios Kapsalis.
Found not guilty, despite the contrary prosecution proposal, were Vaios Thanasias then deputy mayor of the municipality of Marathon, Evangelos Bournous then mayor of Rafina-Pikermio, Antonis Palpatzis then deputy mayor of Rafina-Pikermio.
“The shame is lost,” a victim’s lawyer said after the court’s decision.
