Prosecutor delivers final recommendation in Sifis Valyrakis murder trial

Prosecutor proposal at the Mixed Jury Court

The prosecutor of the Mixed Jury Court in Greece delivers the formal recommendation on 8 September 2026 regarding murder charges filed against two local fishermen in the death of former government minister Sifis Valyrakis. The procedural step marks a key phase in the trial, coming nearly one year after courtroom proceedings initially began. Valyrakis, a founding member of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) who held several cabinet posts during his political career, died on 24 January 2021 in the waters off Eretria. The prosecutor must evaluate the body of evidence and witness testimonies to determine whether to sustain the charge of intentional joint homicide committed in a calm state of mind.

Indictment details and maritime confrontation

The formal indictment reconstructs the events of Sunday, 24 January 2021, when Valyrakis sailed his inflatable craft into the Gulf of Euboea for a spearfishing excursion. According to the prosecution, a verbal confrontation developed between the former minister and two brothers operating their commercial fishing vessel in the area. The fishermen allegedly conducted aggressive manoeuvres around the inflatable boat to obstruct its navigation before escalating the dispute into physical violence.

“Executing dangerous manoeuvres with your fishing boat around his inflatable craft, you had an altercation with him and then, using a wooden pole, you struck him on the upper part of his body at least two to three times, causing him to fall into the sea against his will.”

The indictment further states that after Valyrakis fell into the water and suffered injuries from moving propellers, the two defendants fled the area. Investigators noted that the fishermen departed without rendering assistance or alerting the Coast Guard, even though they knew search and rescue operations were actively underway.

Defense claims of total innocence

Throughout the hearings, the two brothers have rejected all allegations of intentional homicide and denied any involvement in Valyrakis's drowning. In their formal depositions before the court, both defendants asserted that they were not present at sea on the day of the incident. Defense counsel argued that the timeline presented by the prosecution relies on flawed assumptions and that no physical or eyewitness evidence places the brothers at the exact site of the altercation. The proceedings over the past year have featured intense exchanges between the defense team and civil party lawyers representing the Valyrakis family, who presented maritime tracking records and witness statements.

Political backing and family campaign

The family of Sifis Valyrakis has consistently maintained that the former minister was the victim of a deliberate criminal act rather than a boating accident. Throughout the prolonged trial, numerous former cabinet ministers and prominent PASOK party officials have attended court sessions to demonstrate solidarity with his relatives. Former Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and his wife have also backed the family, with Samaras's wife regularly present in the courtroom alongside the victim's widow, Mina Papatheodorou-Valyraki. The conclusion of the prosecutor's address will open the way for defense summations and the subsequent delivery of a verdict by the judges and jurors.