NEWS

Four to answer to criminal charges after boy’s fairground death

Four people were to face an investigating magistrate on Friday to answer to criminal charges of manslaughter with possible malice aforethought following the death on Sunday of a 13-year-old boy, and the serious injury of his nine-year-old sister, at an unlicensed fairground in Elliniko, south of Athens.

The fairground’s owner, an Italian man who rented equipment and two Bangladeshi fairground employees are the four people facing charges.

In his testimony, the 45-year-old father of the boy denied any responsibility for his son’s death. The father, who had been at the playground when the tragedy occurred, told police that employees at the site had not taken basic safety measures.

Meanwhile Interior Minister Yiannis Michelakis has ordered checks on all fairgrounds, playgrounds and playgroups in a bid to ensure such an incident does not happen again. In a circular sent to all general secretaries and municipal authorities on Thursday, Michelakis called for an inspection to determine how many such facilities are operating without licenses and for a review of the licensed ones. The responses must be submitted to the ministry by June 30.

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