In Brief
Alex trial
Mother of one of implicated children said to confirm ‘guilt’ The mother of one of the five children charged in connection with the disappearance of 11-year-old Alex Meshivili, who went missing in Veria, northern Greece, more than two years ago, reportedly confirmed the story incriminating the youngsters during her court appearance yesterday. The mother of an Albanian child linked to the suspected manslaughter of Meshivili, reportedly confirmed that the victim was chased and harassed by the youngsters before falling down and hitting his head, resulting in a fatal injury. On leaving the courtroom, where proceedings are continuing under a media blackout, the woman said she had been subjected to aggressive questioning by the defense. Fraudster caught Man sold ‘Church’ land A 49-year-old Thessaloniki man believed to have been posing as a representative of the Church of Greece for several months, and allegedly selling land that he said belonged to the Church to unsuspecting buyers, has been arrested, police said. It is unclear how much the alleged fraudster netted in total but his last victim shelled out 150,00 euros, according to police. Ship collision A Greek cargo ship collided with a Libyan vessel some 10 kilometers off the coast of Oman early yesterday but no injuries were reported. The 25 crew members of the Sea Land Illinois, 11 of whom are Greek nationals, were all in good health yesterday, the Merchant Marine Ministry said. The crew of the Tobolsk, the Libyan vessel, were also unharmed. Both vessels suffered minor damage. Fake cards Police at Athens International Airport arrested two Romanian nationals yesterday after a search of their luggage revealed 125 forged bank cards for British banks. According to officers, the two men also had a list of personal identification (PIN) numbers corresponding to the cards they are alleged to have forged. It was unclear how many illicit transactions had been carried out. Pupil plastered A pupil at a primary school in the central Athens district of Vyronas sustained minor arm injuries yesterday after a chunk of plaster fell on him from the ceiling during a lesson. The child’s parents complained that the school building is too old and in need of renovation. An Education Ministry official said the classroom would be closed to allow state civil engineers to inspect it. In the family Police in the Peloponnesian city of Kalamata yesterday arrested a 76-year-old woman and her 48-year-old son on drug dealing charges. They arrested the pair after a search of the family home turned up 6 grams of cocaine and a pair of electronic scales. Migrant exams A total of 1,217 immigrants are due to sit examinations testing their knowledge of the Greek language, history and culture on Saturday, the Education Ministry said. The test papers are drafted by ministry experts.
