A court in Greece has ordered the conditional release of James Dalamangas, the fugitive wanted by authorities in Australia over the alleged 1999 fatal stabbing of George Giannopoulos in Sydney.
Dalamangas was released from Agios Stefanos Prison after his defense team asked for his detention to be lifted while Australia’s extradition request is examined. His lawyer, Nikos Apostolopoulos, said he will remain free under restrictive conditions until the Patras Council of Appeals considers the case.
The measures prohibit Dalamangas from leaving Greece and require him to report to a police station every 15 days. The decision does not resolve the extradition issue itself, which remains before the competent judicial council in Patras.
James Dalamangas released in Greece as Australia extradition case continues
Greek media reported that the court accepted the defense request and replaced detention with restrictive measures while the extradition proceedings continue.
The Patras Council of Appeals is expected to decide whether Australia’s request to extradite Dalamangas can move forward. Australian authorities want him returned to New South Wales in connection with the death of George Giannopoulos, a Greek-Australian father of two who was killed in Sydney in 1999.
Dalamangas has denied the allegations against him, while his defense has argued that the case faces legal obstacles in Greece because of the time that has passed since the alleged offense.
Australia sought him over 1999 Sydney killing
Dalamangas has been among Australia’s most wanted fugitives for years. Australian authorities allege he fled to Greece after Giannopoulos was fatally stabbed at a nightclub in Belmore, in Sydney’s southwest, on April 25, 1999.
A warrant for Dalamangas’ arrest was issued in Australia the following day. Australian authorities previously tried to extradite him from Greece in 2003, but that effort was unsuccessful. Greek authorities later agreed to pursue the case locally, although that process was suspended in 2007 when Dalamangas could not be located.
The case remained active for decades. In 2024, Australian Federal Police and NSW Police renewed a public appeal for information, warning that the Greek statute of limitations could complicate efforts to prosecute him if he remained in Greece.
Arrest near Aigio followed 27-year manhunt
Greek police arrested Dalamangas in June at a rural property near Aigio, in Achaia in the northern Peloponnese, after a long investigation involving Greek and Australian authorities.
Authorities allege he had been living in the area under the false identity Antonis Tzimas. Local reports said he had spent years in the region, kept a low profile, and worked as a farmer before police located him.
Greek media reported that police placed the property under surveillance before moving in to make the arrest. The operation ended a 27-year manhunt that had stretched across two countries.
James Dalamangas convicted in Greece before Australia extradition decision
Before the latest release order, Dalamangas appeared before a local court in Aigio on charges unrelated to the 1999 Sydney killing.
The court sentenced him to two years and nine months in prison for weapons-law violations and false testimony. That sentence was suspended pending appeal.
Two other people, an 86-year-old man and a 47-year-old woman, were also convicted of harboring a fugitive. Both were temporarily released pending appeal.
The extradition question now remains the central issue in the case. Until the Patras Council of Appeals rules on Australia’s request, Dalamangas will remain in Greece under the court-imposed restrictions.
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