THE lobby leading to the Assizes courtroom was filled with black-clad relatives from early on.
More were waiting downstairs to catch a glimpse of Magda and her two co-defendants, who arrived shortly before 9am amid heightened police measures.
And then Pavlos’ mother made her appearance, supported by her daughter, to witness the penultimate act of the trial that shocked the country last year.
It was the first time she had come to court since the trial started on February 14.
And then the prison van carrying the defendants turned the corner – Magda got out first from the side door, while the relatives were kept at a safe distance.
She sped to the front of the van and round to the door that leads to the cells.
Asghar and Bo, handcuffed together as they have been since the start of the trial, got out through the rear door and swiftly disappeared inside the cell area.
The relatives, some wearing T-shirts with Pavlos’ photograph in front and the slogan “We are asking for justice” printed on the back, looked on but never got out of line.
The decision was scheduled to be heard at 9am but there was a 30-minute delay due to the number of people wanting to squeeze into the small courtroom.
Packed like sardines inside a room where the inadequate air-conditioning forced the judge to order the door open, the audience listened patiently, while trying to ignore the heat, as the judge started reading the 100-page decision.
Pavlos’ mother sat between her daughter and her son, at times leaning in his arms for comfort.
The three defendants took their place in the dock, with the three translators standing between them and the bench.
Magda was dressed in black trousers and blouse, and a black jacket with a silver brooch on the lapel.
She wore her hair in a ponytail and stood at the left end of the dock, with Bo standing between her and Asghar.
Throughout the five-hour procedure – with a 30-minute break in between – Magda had her eyes fixed on the bench and seemed to be trying hard to avoid eye contact with the relatives, most of whom were staring straight at her.
Pavlos’ mother listened attentively, most of the time staring at the floor.
At times, especially when the judge described the gory details of the crime, she was distressed and was heard whispering to herself.
The decision regarding Asghar and Bo was more or less expected; the now bearded Pakistani youth, clad in a white T-shirt and jeans, dropped his head after he realised he would be spending the rest of his life behind bars.
His Chinese roommate leaned forward and clutched the edge of the dock, looking down in front of him.
The majority of the audience stood up when it became obvious that the verdict for Magda was about to be announced.
But even before that, while the judge explained the decision, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind what the verdict would be.
Her stare became a gaze into space and several times she shut her eyes as if in disbelief.
The verdict was welcomed by the relatives – some light applause was heard but it quickly stopped.
The three defendants were whisked away by police and into the van before anyone had the chance to catch up.
Pavlos’ immediate family stayed in the courtyard for a while, trying to come to terms with the whole affair.
His mother, in tears, still could not believe that she had lost her son and that her daughter-in-law had deceived them in such a way.
The final act of the gruesome case will be played out on Tuesday.
