Lawyers of Nikos Sampanis’ family decry justice delays: “The pace of justice seems to depend on who is the perpetrator and who the victim”

The lawyers, Thanasis Kabayannis and Voula Dimitriadou, submitted a formal protest to Supreme Court Prosecutor Georgia Adelini on October 23, urging her to prioritise the stalled supplementary investigation. “The neglect of this inquiry verges on a denial of justice,” they stated, emphasising the severe delay.

The case centres on the fatal police shooting of Sampanis, who was pursued by police officers after allegedly being identified as a minor driving a stolen white Hyundai Accent. The officers fired 36 shots in the ensuing chase, which also seriously injured one of Sampanis’ two younger passengers. Sampanis died at the scene, while the passenger sustained gunshot wounds to the back and abdomen, undergoing extensive surgery to survive.

The seven DIAS officers involved face charges of homicide with intent and attempted homicide but have been released without any restrictive conditions. Lawyers allege that the process has been riddled with irregularities, and in January 2023, the Piraeus Criminal Council ordered a supplementary investigation, citing significant gaps in the initial inquest. The council highlighted that the autopsy lacked clarity on whether Sampanis’ death was immediate and which wounds proved fatal, raising questions about police conduct.

Despite the case being forwarded to the Investigative Office in May 2023, no further actions have been taken. Lawyers for the family argue that systemic delays reflect a broader failure to ensure equal justice, noting, “The so-called ‘acceleration of justice’ promised by Minister of Justice Mr. Floridis seems to depend on who the perpetrator is and who the victim.”

The lawyers’ memo to Prosecutor Adelini concludes: “This is a case of homicide involving serial actions by police officers, handled through a six-month main inquiry which proved insufficient. The supplementary inquiry has dragged on for 18 months without any substantial progress.”

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