Neighbours Allege Police Officers Planted Narcotics on the Victim

Zhana Megrelishvili, Guria-News

They gagged his hands and legs, bounded his mouth, beat, and tore off his ear. When K.M did not obey their demands, they asked – Shall we remove our masks? That meant they would kill him.

“K.M. got afraid and told them – please, stop it; here is the money and take it. The police officers planted drugs on the man after similar accident; is it fair?” asked the neighbours.

On April 6, at about 9:00 pm, robbers gagged and ruthlessly tortured 45-year-old man in Batumi Street in Ozurgeti, Guria region. The masked attackers took 3 000 GEL and unidentified amount of US Dollars. The single person had started a small business short time ago – currency exchange.

The relatives and neighbours told the Guria News that police officers categorically banned him to speak about the incident. The Victim could not meet GuriaNews because he was being interrogated at the police station during two days. According to our source of information, the police found narcotics in his house. The source said there is a reliable doubt that the Police planted drugs in the house of K. M. on purpose.

“As far as I know there were two robbers; they chased him from the city. They knew he worked with money and watched him. When the police arrived, they did not allow the neighbours to stay there. They shouted at us to go home. They warned the victim not to speak about the incident with anybody; they banned him to meet people and we, neighbours cannot see him either. Now, people say the cousins took him to their home. Before, he was interrogated at the police station during two days,” said the neighbours.

“It was 9:00 pm when the accident occurred. I do not know the exact amount of money but reportedly 3 000 GEL and certain amount of US dollars was seized from him. The robbers ruthlessly tortured him – gagged his legs and hands, bounded his mouth, tore off the ear. He did not resist him because they could even kill him. They even asked him: “Shall we remove masks?” That meant they would kill him. He got afraid and asked to stop his torture; he told them where the money was,” the neighbour of the victim told the GuriaNews.

“They said the police planted narcotics on him. He has never smoked even cigarette and how could he put the narcotics in the easy-reach place? We, the neighbours will support him and go everywhere to prove his innocence. He is a single man; no wife and no children. You can see what kind house he lives in. The police officers almost fell downstairs through the damaged floor,” said the neighbours.

“Cannot police do that? Of course they can. They put narcotics in my relative’s pocket too but it was torn (luckily) and the drugs fell down; the boy started shouting – what are you doing? Cannot you see that it cannot stop in my pocket? People were in the shop and saw everything. Will the police find those robbers?! They planted the drugs because they want to blame him in the incident and then announce that the crime is solved. However, we will prove the innocence of K.M,” said the relatives and neighbours who said neighbour G.D. informed the police about robbery.

“The neighbour works at the railway station and on his way home he saw him gagged on the balcony; he called police. You should also write that ambulance came later because they did not have car,” said the neighbour.

G.D. told GuriaNews that on his way home he heard screams from the victim’s house. “Luckily they did not kill him. If he had not given money to them, they would have killed him. He had his ear torn off and was ruthlessly beaten. I untied his arms and called police. Then they took me to interrogation. I have poor health and have two sick people in the family to look after. I had high blood pressure because of this incident – I was really worried about him. I am working hard all day long and in the evening I usually hurry home but that evening I saw him gagged. I had to stay at the police station till 1:00 am and then walked home. Is it a life?” complained G.D.

Ozurgeti district medical emergency service received a call at 10:20 pm. According to the registration book, the victim had bruises on his right jaw and various injuries on the body. He was taken to hospital.

GuriaNews asked the representatives of the Medical Service whether the group arrived at the place late and they answered; “Our brigades were sent to various calls at that moment.”

We cannot publish the comments of the victim and law enforcement officers because of clear reasons.