Time is running out to find one of Australia's most wanted men who allegedly fled to Greece after the fatal stabbing of a man at a Sydney nightclub nearly 25 years ago.
Key points:
- NSW Police and the Australian Federal Police have been working with the Hellenic Police in Greece
- A $200,000 reward remains for information about James Dalamangas's location
- Mr Dalamangas cannot be prosecuted in Greece 25 years after the alleged crime
James Dalamangas is believed to have left Australia shortly after killing George Giannopoulos at the Belmore nightclub in Sydney's south-west on April 25, 1999.
NSW Police have today renewed a global appeal for information on his whereabouts as a 25-year Greek statute of limitations draws to a close.
A reward of $200,000 was offered in 2019 in exchange for information leading to the fugitive's capture, but no fresh information came to light.
That financial incentive remains for anybody in the world to provide useful information to investigating officers.
Detective Superintendent Grant Taylor said the statute of limitations was "looming", limiting possibilities to successfully prosecute the missing man.
"Time is now of the essence we believe," he said.
"We believe someone in Greece would know where Dalamangas is living or working."
Aborted prosecution attempts
Detectives began hunting for Mr Dalamangas the day after the nightclub attack, issuing a warrant for his arrest.
But he was never located and is believed to be currently residing somewhere in Greece.
In 2003 attempts to extradite him from the country were unsuccessful, and Greek authorities agreed to prosecute Mr Dalamangas over his alleged role in the murder.
That process was suspended in 2007 when they were unable to find him.
Mr Giannopoulos's sister, Toula, said her brother's life was tragically stolen when he was just 32.
"When George was brutally killed on Anzac Day, 1999, it left a large void in my mother's and father's life, in my life, and my sister's life," she said.
"And more importantly, his two children and his young wife's lives.
"George's children were eight and four years old at the time of his death and have grown up without their father."
She said her parents as first-generation Greek-Australians left the motherland for the land of opportunity, hard-working and honest people trying to provide the best life for their children and family back home.
"The last thing they expected was to be burying their son."
NSW officers have been working with the Australian Federal Police (AFP) in combination with the Hellenic Police in Greece.
Superintendent Jared Taggart from the AFP said local officers had developed a "strong relationship" with their Greek counterparts.
"Intelligence suggests he almost certainly remains in Greece," he said.
While police have released a comfit of what he may look like now, Superintendent Taggart said people on the run often altered their appearance or changed their identity.
Superintendent Taylor said after the 25-year time lapse it was not "impossible" to prosecute Mr Dalamangas, but that it would not be possible to do so in Greece.
The appeal was also delivered in Greek, for distribution locally and overseas.
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2024-01-09 01:16:57Z
CBMiXmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDI0LTAxLTA5L25zdy1wb2xpY2Utd2FudGVkLW1hbi1qYW1lcy1kYWxhbWFuZ2FzLWdyZWVjZS8xMDMyOTcwMjbSAQA
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