Τhe commander and deputy commander of the Omonia police precinct in central Athens were cashiered from the posts on Friday, according to decision by Greek Police’s (EL.AS) leadership, in the wake of the recent suicide of a 29-year-old foreign national being held there and the escape of another prisoner.
The 29-year-old man from Bangladesh, identified as a migrant worker, was found hanging from a makeshift rope made of clothing in a holding cell in the early morning hours of Tuesday. An initial police statement claimed another 11 prisoners were in the same cell. He was remanded on a charge of damaging a police car.
Another prisoner had escaped from the precinct over the recent period as well.
The death of the foreign national has generated both an internal police investigation, but, more importantly, a preliminary judicial probe by an independent prosecutor.
According to media reports, the two replacements for the posts at the specific inner-city precinct will be two higher ranking police officers, ostensibly to deal with nagging crime in the gritty streets surrounding Omonia Square, as well as to ensure that shocking incidents such as prisoner suicides and escapes are not repeated.
Police unions have in the past charged that the specific precinct is severely under-staffed.
