Twelve convicted in Cretan businessman’s 2017 kidnap
A three-member appeals court in eastern Crete on Thursday convicted all 12 suspects in the abduction of businessman Michalis Lembidakis in March 2017, a local news website reported.
According to e-kriti.gr, the convictions were distributed as follows: all 12 suspects were convicted of kidnap and attempted blackmail, two of forming and running a criminal gang, six of forming a criminal gang, four of membership in a criminal gang and four of possession of weapons and a military riffle.
Eight of the suspects will temporarily remain detained while the other four remained free on conditions, ahead of the sentencing expected later in the day.
The prosecutor in the case had asked on Wednesday to widen the search to four more suspects based on evidence that emerged during the court proceedings.
Lembidakis was freed on October 2017, in a police raid on a car parts junkyard in Rethymno, during which they found the businessman emaciated and tied to a mattress on the first floor of the building.
