"To become strong, better Christians" and to forgive him, 49-year-old Nikos Kontostathis asked his victims, who apologized for the second day before the Joint Jury Court for the 12 murders and 14 attempted murders attributed to him, over a period of several years who appeared as 'Dr Kontos'.
The accused was questioned by the presiding judge separately about each of the cases of people who submitted to his supposedly renowned treatments and either died or survived but with very serious injuries allegedly caused by the unorthodox methods of the "Oncology Doctor". In some cases he gave his own version of the contacts he had with cancer patients and seriously ill patients and their relatives, while for some cases the 49-year-old claimed that he does not know the victims or their relatives at all.
According to what the main defendant told the court, he has two companies, one commercial and one for service of communication systems with which "we participated in c4i in cooperation with Siemens".
Prosecutor: Do you have a factory? Some unit somewhere?
Defendant: No. I only service, I don't produce... We participated in C4i in collaboration with Siemens and in various other competitions.
He also stated that he has studied dental technician in Greece and in America attended a school for electronic communications, adding that he has also obtained a pilot's license and used to fly Cessna aircraft, however he stopped due to an ear problem.
The prosecutor pointed out to "Dr. Kondo" that although he said in court that "his mistake" was that he did not deny the reputation of being an accomplished oncologist, nevertheless the issue is not only a denial but the promotion of this quality.
Prosecutor: You had a linkedin page, a medical ID that you showed to witnesses, and various behaviors that indirectly indicate that. You sent a message "I'm in surgery", you said that you had contacts with Marianna Vardinogiannis and others, that you treated the President of the Republic of Cyprus, that you treated Schumacher...
Defendant: The way you put it, you seem to be right. To have said that I am an attending physician for Schumacher is absurd, I did not make such connections with my name. I said that they should have faith in God and gave Schumacher as an example. At some point they had called me and told me about a child who was being treated at Mrs. Vardinogianni's hospital. That was it, nothing more. When you enter a monastery and people come, kiss your hands, hug you, only bells don't ring, that's what I couldn't deal with but I never suggested anything other than herbal remedies. That was my biggest mistake. I fell into the sin of pride and selfishness, as a man I became clouded.
The claims and the general style of the apologist caused reactions from the relatives of the victims who are watching his apology. The victim's mother could not contain her anger and calling him a "liar" left the room while another woman, also the victim's mother, when the 49-year-old begged the victims to "become better Christians and forgive him" shouted "never. I loathe him."
The statement about forgiveness from the victims came when the prosecutor asked the defendant if he wished to apologize to anyone.
N. Kontostathis, after starting to say that he does not consider that he did anyone harm and therefore "I do not apologize but I confess" and that he cannot say that "the principles that raised me were violated" by my parents, grandparents and spiritual his fathers, concluded:
"I find myself apologizing but I am the worst judge. I for one cannot forgive myself, I did the opposite of what I was taught, I slipped, I let the lie enter my life. I destroyed my life and the people who love me... I never stopped treatment, I never put a knife to anyone's throat. As a human being, I fell and I have to get up. I am saddened, torn apart, for everyone in this room, because they are all here for my faults. I sympathize with all the families and relatives who have turned against me. I cannot apologize to them, one apology is not enough, millions of apologies are not enough. I am begging them to become strong, better Christians and to forgive me."
During the transport of the accused, when he finished his statement, victims and victims' relatives angrily called him "murderer".
Source: ΑΠΕ- ΜΠΕ