The developments regarding the case of Thanasis Nikolaou’s death are changing, with the family’s lawyers revealing a crucial piece of information before the coroner, Doria Varosiotou, during the ongoing process of the third inquest.
Today, the independent criminal investigator, Savvas Matsas, is expected to testify, while the family’s lawyers will make revelations about the testimony-confession given to the police.
Following a request for a closed-door procedure, the family’s lawyers will disclose names and details regarding the deposition of the individual, emphasizing the need to protect both the testimony and the evidence.
Their request includes summoning the police officer-investigator of the latest investigation, Melis Antoniou, as there seems to be a written deposition dated January 12, 2024, describing the confession of an individual who, along with others, attacked Thanasis, resulting in his death on September 29, 2005.
According to credible information from Phileleftheros, the specific individual is involved in another case and wanted to provide information-testimony regarding Thanasis Nikolaou’s case in exchange for something.
However, the provided information, although investigated, has not yielded anything regarding the named individual, as it was discovered that the person in question was a minor (15 years old) in 2005 when Thanasis was found dead under Alassas Bridge.
This move by Nikolaou’s family lawyers overshadowed the examination of Dr. Dimitra Karagianni, as expected, it’s a new testimony that has not been presented before the coroner’s inquest until today.
The examination process of forensic pathologist Dr. Dimitra Karagianni was conducted in high tones, with tensions, objections, and often the judge intervened to complete the process.
There were moments when the remarks and questions were sarcastic, with the judge calling on both sides and the witness to be prudent, warning that she would interrupt the process.
The examination focused on Dr. Karagianni’s findings, with the representative of the Legal Service, Xenia Xenofontos, bombarding her with questions.
Once again, various objects were submitted as evidence to the Court, such as a broken pencil and a plastic straw.
Xenofontos inquired about Dr. Karagianni’s fee and her statement that she received €22, emphasizing that she received €9,000 from the Republic of Cyprus.
“We are not paid by the family. We are paid by the Prosecutor’s Office,” she said, mentioning that €6,000 was for the first autopsy and €3,000 for the second, while the €22 was from the Athens Prosecutor’s Office.
At another point, there was a reference to the witness copying the report of the forensic pathologist Emmanuel Agapitos and changing only one point.
Dr. Karagianni’s position is that all involved conducted the examination and made observations, leading to consistency due to the notes. “I was given handwritten notes and used them for the report,” she noted.
At the center of the questions was the hyoid bone, with forensic pathologist Dr. Dimitra Karagianni stating, “Bring me the tiles to show you what an abnormal margin is and where the horn is.”
She reiterated that the tiles were examined under a microscope. She even took a plastic straw she had with her and pointed it out to the Court. The Judge requested the straw to be submitted as evidence.
The witness emphasized that she has documented Thanasis’s strangulation from numerous pieces of evidence. “For an incredible strangulation, we look at everything, such as photos of the neck, the lungs, the blood saturation of the neck, and the hemorrhages.”
The representative of the Legal Service argued that the abnormal margin as evidence does not help determine whether it’s a pre-mortem or post-mortem fracture.
The focus of the examination was on external injuries, with the Legal Service representative stating that “no forensic pathologist mentions external injuries to Thanasis’s body” and referring to the reports of Matsakis, Stavrianou, and Koutsafis.
On their part, Nikolaou’s family lawyers objected and referred to Koutsafis’s report.
After the excerpt was read, Dr. Karagianni said that Thanasis did not fall from the bridge, and that’s why no external injuries were found. “There were none since he didn’t fall; he was strangled. You handed me the answer on a plate. For someone who falls from 30 meters is picked up with a spoon afterward. We’re talking about hemorrhages, not injuries.”
“Do you want me to give you an anatomy lesson? You’ve irritated me, and I don’t want to lose my composure. We’re talking about a murder! I prefer to smile at you rather than answer you,” Dr. Karagianni said, emphasizing that there is evidence in the documents she has examined showing that the perpetrator of Thanasis Nikolaou was left-handed.
“You deceived the deceased’s family,” claimed the Legal Service representative, addressing the witness, stating that she received €9,000 and was paid by the Cypriot taxpayer.
“My scientific career is so evident that no one can tarnish it,” replied the witness, while at this point, the family’s lawyer intervened, saying that Mr. Agapitos was also paid by the Cypriot taxpayer.
By her decision, the Judge accepted the family’s request for Adriana Nikolaou to testify as a witness of limited extent.
The Judge justified her decision and also referred to the condemning decision of the ECHR against the Republic of Cyprus. Note that the family requested Dr. Elpida Spanoudaki to testify, which will be decided by the coroner, with the Legal Service representative objecting to the request.
“The child had no problem,” Ms. Xenofontos pointed out at another point, indicating to the witness that Thanasis Nikolaou’s hyoid bone was inherently different, with Dr. Karagianni rejecting it, noting that neither her colleague, Mr. Agapitos, mentions anything like that in his report.
“I rule out the deficit being congenital,” she replied, while Thanasis’s mother burst out, saying, “My child had no problem.”
Among other things, Dr. Karagianni was asked to comment on the abnormal margin of the left horn, with her taking a pencil from the Court and cutting it in half. Showing the point where the pencil was cut, she said, “This is an abnormal margin. This is what we mean.”
