Prosecutor to investigate police officers’ dealings with murdered woman

A prosecutor has ordered a preliminary investigation to establish whether the officers on duty at the police precinct outside of which a 28-year-old woman was murdered by her ex-partner bear any responsibility for the incident or whether there was any breach of duty.

The prosecutor’s investigation will pick up on the sworn administrative enquiry already ordered by police headquarters into whether protocols concerning domestic violence and abuse were followed by officers.

The 28-year-old woman was stabbed to death by her ex-partner outside Agioi Anargyroi police precinct, in northern Athens, on Monday night.

She was stabbed multiple times just moments after reporting to police that she had seen her former partner loitering outside her house and had reason to fear for her life.

According to a friend who accompanied her to the police precinct, officers recommended to the woman that she press charges against her ex-partner, but she declined. He also said she was on the telephone with the 100 emergency dispatch operator asking for a police escort when she was attacked.

She had a restraining order against her abusive 39-year-old attacker.

The attacker, who has been given until 1 p.m. on Thursday to testify before an investigating magistrate, has been detained in Attica Psychiatric Hospital.

Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis said that the murder investigation must deliver “good, clear and straight” answers.

“The point is to thoroughly investigate what exactly happened,” he said.