Chairman of Vani Municipal Board Charged Under Two Articles

Mari Tabidze, Vani

On December 8, the chairman of Vani municipal board, Davit Kakabadze, was summoned to the Kutaisi prosecutor’s office. He was charged for the September 23 incident of which businessman Mamuka Sharashenidze was beaten.

The incident occurred in the office of the National Movement in Vani where Davit Kakabadze physically assaulted Sharashenidze together with other people. The motive of the incident was the businessman’s negative opinion about the scandalous facts from prison.

Western Georgia’s regional prosecutor’s office found the chairman of the municipal board guilty. Prosecutor Ilia Jalagonia said Imereti, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti main department of the MIA launched an investigation on the persecution and abuse of Mamuka Sharashenidze. “It was estimated that on September 23, 2012 after scandalous video-footage was depicted, Mamuka Sharashenidze protested this fact in public. Activists of the Vani district office of the National Movement learned it. On the same day, at about 9:00 pm Mamuka Sharashenidze was summoned to the Vani office of the UNM where Davit Kakabadze met him together with ten more people. They beat Mamuka Sharashenidze because his publicly expressed protest.”

Davit Kakabadze was charged under Article 156 part II – “a” of the Criminal Code of Georgia that is punishable by imprisonment up to three years. He was also charged under Article 118 Part II of the C of the Criminal Code of Georgia that is punishable by imprisonment from three up to five years.

Prosecutor’s office admitted there is ground to arrest Davit Kakabadze but in this particular case they relied on the human principle and solicited to the court to impose bail on Davit Kakabadze as a preventive measure. He was bailed released on bail for 15 000 lari. Additionally, the prosecutor’s office petitioned the court for Kakabadze’s resignation from the occupied position of the chairman of municipal board.

Davit Kakabadze did not plead guilty. “Everything finished peacefully. They charged me but I do not plead guilty. I did not participate in Sharashenidze’s physical assault. I have not resigned from the position either. The court shall pass relevant decision. If they halt my authority, I will obey the verdict,” chairman of the municipal board said.

The trial was held on December 9 at the Kutaisi City Court. Imereti regional governor Vakhtang Balavadze and MP Giorgi Tevdoradze also attended the trial.

“It is political oppression. Namely, Bidzina Ivanishvili’s government persecutes political opponents. Apparently, it is their number one task to arrange municipal boards according to their political taste which is beyond all justice. Local self-governmental bodies have authority till 2012 and those people shall have right to implement their duties,” said Vakhtang Balavadze.

MP from the minority Giorgi Tevdoradze also responded. “I do not think that these processes, implemented by the ruling political party against local self-governments, will do any good to the government and the society in general.”

Kutaisi City Court imposed 13 000 lari instead of the solicited 15 000 lari on Kakabadze as a bail. However, next time the court might stop Kakabadze’s authority on the position of chairman of Vani municipal board that was already solicited by the prosecutor’s office.