According to his testimony, unidentified individuals contacted him from a foreign telephone number, claiming to have information about the Tempi case and inviting him to a meeting. When he arrived at the agreed location, he found a jeep with tinted windows and a heavily built man. His mobile phone was taken from him before he entered the vehicle.
Once inside, Routsi testified, the man showed him a bag containing money and said: ‘There is money in this bag, a lot of money. All we want is for you to get Konstantopoulou out of the way and stop getting involved.’
Routsi said he asked what would happen if he refused and eventually requested time to consider the offer. As he was leaving, he reportedly heard the words ‘be careful’, which he interpreted as a threat.
He told the court that he subsequently informed Zoe Konstantopoulou of the incident and expressed fears for his safety, requesting protection. He explained that he had not reported the incident to the authorities because he was afraid.
He added that he later attempted to call the number from which he had initially been contacted, without success, and claimed that the record of the call had disappeared from his phone.
Following his account of the alleged bribery attempt, Routsi returned to the question of the fireball that erupted after the collision of the two trains, demanding answers about its cause.
‘If there had not been that fire, many children would have lived that night’, he said.
He referred to accounts from survivors who described a strong smell inside the train and difficulty breathing. He also testified that he had spoken to a firefighter who, in his view, had implied that something suspicious had been present on the train but was afraid to testify or reveal his identity.
Routsi also referred to information he claimed to have received from train drivers concerning the nature of the fireball and cargo allegedly transported without the required documentation. These allegations were not accompanied by supporting evidence in the excerpt of his testimony that was broadcast.
‘What caused this fireball?’ he asked.
Dennis’s father also called for an investigation into those responsible for ordering interventions at the crash site, expressing his belief that crucial evidence had been lost.
‘Why did all this happen, the attempted cover-up? They should have investigated and collected the evidence that was there. Investigate those who gave the order to tamper with the scene’, he reportedly said.
Despite the health problems he has experienced following his hunger strike, Routsi remained determined to continue his fight for answers.
‘I will not stop fighting for my child because I want us to finally know the truth’, he said.
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