An incredible case came to light involving a man from Athens who was wrongfully forced to stay in prison for three whole years for a robbery he never committed.
Mr. Sifis' problems, as Star reported, began in 2007. That year there was a taxi robbery in the centre of Athens with the use of a knife. The perpetrator took 100 euros from the driver and disappeared.
Twelve years later and while the case seemed to be closed, a fingerprint on the back seat of the vehicle led the authorities to issue an arrest warrant against Mr. Sifis.
It also worked against him that he has a criminal record. He was unaware of why he was being arrested until he suddenly learned that he was accused of robbery. The court at first instance sentenced him to seven years in prison.
For three years he was between two prisons, Korydallos and Domokos. The vindication came in the Court of Appeal, which declared him innocent. In fact, the judge of the court apologised to him.
After his vindication, Mr. Sifis moved against the State asking for monetary compensation for the mistake they made, which deprived him of his freedom for three whole years. The amount awarded to him was finally settled at 50,000 euros.
"I was imprisoned for something I had not done. Those three years were the worst I have ever been through in my life and the worst a person can go through. The judge himself apologised to me in front of the audience and said that this is unprecedented," Mr. Sifis said.
"I insisted it's not me. They didn't listen to me and in two days they put me in pre-trial detention, without testifying to any prosecutor.
"I broke up with my fiancée, I closed a shop I was building. People thought I was a robber, a thief, a killer and a stabber."
READ MORE: Greece shocked by eight students gang raping a classmate.