A 23 year old was remanded in police custody for eight days on Wednesday for fatally injuring his sister, aged 21.
He appeared in court without a lawyer and did not object to the remand.
The victim, Maria Harpa, was shot in the head at her home in Klavdia when the suspect’s military rifle allegedly backfired. He has told police that he was cleaning the G3 at the time, an allegation that is being investigated.
The police investigator told the court that police will be taking about 30 statements from the family, neighbours, the army unit where the suspect does his reserve duty and the community leader of Klavdia.
The suspect had told police that he was cleaning his G3 after going to a military exercise.
But preliminary inquiries through the unit commander have shown that there was no planned exercise yesterday — in fact exercises have been suspended as part of a raft of measures to contain the spread of coronavirus. The last time the unit had shooting practice was in May, 2019, the court heard.
The suspect was examined by the forensic pathologists with his consent and evidence was taken away for examination, the court also heard.
All his military gear was taken away including a sealed nylon bag with 200 bullets. The bag had a hole, and eight bullets were found to be missing.
He will also undergo psychological evaluation, while there will be ballistic tests. The clothes he was wearing have also been sent for tests.
Police will also take statements to determine whether social services were in contact with the suspect and his family and if so for what reason.
Phileleftheros reports that the victim was killed on her birthday. It said that she was nearly two months pregnant and that her partner was due to propose they marry last night.
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Update: Police arrest youth who says shot sister by accident
