“I saw a man with defensive wounds on his hands. He was beaten up, even his face. He had bruises on his head, defensive injuries and a massive laceration to his neck. It was shocking.. He was attacked, he covered his head but he could not protect himself to save himself” testified today at the trial for the death of Sifi Valyrakis, Alexandros Valyrakis, the former minister’s younger son, expressing his certainty that his father was killed by the severe blows inflicted on him by the two accused fishermen.

In his testimony, the victim’s second son described, among other things, the the moment he saw the body of his father shortly after he was found on an islet in the sea area of ​​Eretria in January 2021.

“I was in the center of Athens. When they called me I was very worried, I was sure that something very serious had happened. I left Athens later around 7:00 when I found a way, because my own vehicle had a problem.”

Chairman: Did you go to the scene?

Witness: Yes. It made a huge impression on me because it was very crowded. I saw my father covered and my brother lying on the ground. My reaction at the time was to protect my father. I saw my father afterwards in the hospital.

Chairman: Tell us about after you went to the hospital. What did you see?

Witness: I went there with my brother, I didn’t let him make the identification. I went first. I saw my father and the image was very difficult. I saw a man with defensive wounds on his hands. He was beaten up, even his face. He had bruises on his head, defensive injuries and a huge gash on his neck, it was shocking..I was very close to my father. We happened to be discussing the forced labor in the Albanian prisons he had been in. Then he told me that when you get hit you have to cover your head. My mind went there. Being attacked, he covered his head, but could not protect himself to save himself.

President: Did he tell you if there were general issues with collisions at sea?

Witness: No, I didn’t know about them until my father died. Then I learned that professional fishermen if they didn’t like something they even gave injections. I heard some creepy things…

Mr. Valyrakis emphasized to the court that he didn’t believe it for a moment that the wounds he saw on his father’s body were from the propeller of the two defendants’ fishing boat, that is to say his death was due to accident.

As he reported, he saw intact the diver’s uniform worn by Sifis Valyrakiswhich demonstrates that there is no question of the body spinning and being injured by the propeller.

The witness repeated the position of the family of the historical PASOK executive that there was a faulty investigation into the circumstances of his death.

The trial continues.