Valyraki Case: Prosecutor's Appeal Against Acquittal of Two Fishermen
The Athens Court of Appeal Prosecutor's Office has appealed the acquittal verdict issued by the Mixed Jury Court concerning the death of former minister Sifi Valyraki.
Prosecutor's Office appeals acquittal of fishermen in Valyraki case
The Athens Court of Appeal Prosecutor's Office has appealed the acquittal verdict issued by the Mixed Jury Court of Athens in the case concerning the death of former minister Sifi Valyraki. According to Dikastiko.gr, the Prosecutor's Office proceeded with the appeal after evaluating the evidence in the case file, following a relevant request from the lawyers supporting the prosecution.
First-instance court decision
The Mixed Jury Court of Athens had found the two accused fishermen not guilty by majority vote, with 6-1 votes, in connection with Valyraki's death. The incident occurred in January 2021 in the sea off Eretria.
The court president dissented, voting in favour of the guilt of both defendants. When announcing the verdict, the president stated: "The court by a majority of six to one declares both defendants not guilty, with the president dissenting in the view that they should be found guilty."
Presence of PASOK officials in the courtroom
During the announcement of the verdict in the courtroom, PASOK officials were present, who came to offer support to the family of the deceased. Among them were Costas Laliotes, Nikos Sifounakis, Michalis Karchimakis and Evangelos Apostolakis.
Statement by Valyraki's wife
Immediately after the announcement of the verdict, the widow of the deceased, Mina Papatheodoru-Valyraki, directly accused the "deep state" of covering up her husband's death. "Sifi Valyraki was murdered, but the deep state is holding up very strong," stated Papatheodoru-Valyraki, adding that she would continue her struggle with her legal advisers.
"But I will fight against the deep state and against all those who covered up this murder, both those in front and those behind," she emphasised. Referring to the split in the voting, she noted: "The president and the prosecutor found them guilty, and six people, six people whom you certainly understand, acquitted them."
Papatheodoru-Valyraki stated that she has been fighting for six years and expressed her conviction that "the truth will come to light."
Next steps
The lawyers for the Valyraki family had already announced their intention to seek a prosecutorial appeal. The Athens Court of Appeal Prosecutor's Office, after evaluating the evidence in the file, responded to the request and challenged the first-instance verdict. The case thus proceeds towards a new trial in the second-instance court.
Source: Dikastiko.gr