Prosecutor Nikos Antonarakis has pressed felony charges against prison guards stationed in Nigrita and Malandrino, as well as police officers of the Itea Police Department, over the murder of convicted Albanian felon Ilie Kareli.

The three charges brought against the prison guards and police officers are that of torture resulting in death, simple torture and grievous bodily harm. Eighteen prison guards in Nigrita currently face these charges, while the investigation will determine those at Malandrino and Itea who will be prosecuted after the preliminary investigation is complete.

So far, the prosecution has issued warrants for the arrest of eight prison guards based in Nigrita who appear to have been involved in the brutal torture and beating of Kareli. It has been speculated that Kareli received serious beatings and was possibly even torture prior to his death, which have been attributed to prison guards and the police which handled him.

A source from the Ministry of Justice revealed that the intention is to carry out the investigation without trying to cover anything up. The medical examiner reported hat Kareli suffered a fractured sternum near the time of his death. Additionally, a camera from the corridors in the Nigrita prison recorded Kareli being taken to a cell without a camera and then, about two and a half hours later, he is being dragged away by two guards.

It would appear that the Albanian convict was brutally tortured while in prison, which has caused huge tension amongst prisoners. Perhaps more shocking is that in his short stay in Nigrita, Kareli appears to have been tortured by the president of the prison guard union Haris Konsolidis! On Friday Konsolidis appeared on multiple television stations feigning ignorance and claiming that Kareli must have been brutalized prior to his arrival in Nigrita.

Konsolidis is currently hospitalized at the psychiatric ward in Serres, claiming to be under pressure following his questioning by the police.