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Alibi Saved the Convict from 21 Years of Imprisonment

February 4, 2009

Valerian Jikidze was sentenced to 21 years of imprisonment because of the crimes committed in September, 2006. The court of first instance tried Jiqidze for the robbery and the pre-concerted suppression of two or more people’s freedom illegally by a gang.

The convict appealed the sentence and requested to be found not guilty. Jikidze’s attorney claimed that his client couldn’t have committed this crime because he served his sentence for using drugs illegally under the name of Koba Tskipurishvili in the Federation of Russia from May to November in 2006. However, the defense failed to present the evidence in the court of first instance.

Tbilisi Court of Appeals ascertained that Valerian Jikidze made a false passport of Georgian citizen of Koba Tskipurishvili in Kutaisi Civil Registry Agency in 2004. He crossed Georgian border several times with this passport.

The defendant’s attorney presented documentation from the Federation of Russia on the trial in the Court of Appeals. These were: the copy of the sentence of Koba Tskipurishvili, on behalf of whom he was in Russia; fingerprints and the notification on discharging Koba Tsqipurishvili from the penitentiary institution. All the evidence, denoted above, indicated that he was in Russian prison during the period of committing the crime.

Tbilisi Court of Appeals checked the alibi in the Federation of Russia. As a result of this, the fact of using false documents by Valerian Jiqidze and being sentenced in Russia for using drugs illegally in 2006 was confirmed.

Tbilisi Court of Appeals that consisted of Manuchar Kapanadze, Chairman of the trial and judges- Maia Teterauli and Naira Gogitashvili filed a verdict of acquittal. Valerian Jiqidze was freed from 21 years of imprisonment.

Source: Medianews

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