Supreme Court convenes on motion to dismiss Thanasis’ murder ruling

The full bench of the Supreme Court was convening on Tuesday over the motion seeking to annul Thanasis Nicolaou’s murder ruling.

Set to begin at 11am, the case is part of a certiorari petition filed by state pathologist Panicos Stavrianos, whose initial ruling 19 years ago is at odds with the findings of the third inquiry into Nicolaou’s death.

Nicolaou was found dead under Alassa bridge in 2005. He was 26 at the time and serving his national guard duty.

Stavrianos was called to the scene 19 years ago and determined Nicolaou had killed himself. His family has fought for years that Nicolaou was murdered, with experts in the past saying the body did not have signs consistent with a fall from a 20 metre bridge.

The third inquiry into Nicolaou’s death in May validated the family’s arguments, after it ruled he was killed as a result of strangulation.a

Stavrianos has since moved to file a certiorari, seeking to annul the findings.

On Thursday, lawyers for Nicolaou’s family filed their objections over Stavrianos’ certiorari, arguing his rights were never affected during proceedings.

They said only the legal service has the right to submit a certiorari but it did not do so.

Representing the legal service on the case is the deputy attorney general Savvas Angelides, who said it “identified serious legal issues” in the ruling of the third death inquiry.

Following the inquiry which ruled Nicolaou was murdered, cabinet appointed two independent investigators to the case.

Retired Greek police lieutenant Lambros Pappas and lawyer Thanasis Athanasiou have been tasked with uncovering the circumstances behind Nicolaou’s death, as well as any “reprehensible acts” and omissions in how the case was handled.

The investigation is going ahead, regardless of the certiorari motion.