Buta Robakidze’s Friends Exculpated

News Agency “Pirveli”

Friends of Buta Robakidze, a young man killed in 2004 by law enforcement officers, were exculpated after having been in prison for eight years for illicit purchase and carriage of weapon. 

Archil Chopikashvili, lawyer of one of Robakidze’s friends Giorgi Kurdadze, said both defense side and prosecutor had petitioned to the court to exculpate Robakidze’s friends from criminal liabilities and the court satisfied their request.

Consequently, criminal prosecution against Robakidze’s friends was cancelled.

Friends of Buta Robakidze, killed on November 24, 2011- Giorgi Kurdadze and other people were charged for illicit purchase-carriage of firearms and ammunition. 

On December 17, chief prosecutor of Georgia spread official statement about exculpation of Buta Robakidze’s friends.

“Today, Chief Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia cancelled accusations against Kakhaber Azariashvili, Giorgi Kurdadze and Akaki Bartaia. Georgian society is well informed about the murder of Amiran (Buta) Robakidze. The investigation concluded that on November 24, 2004 at about 1:30 am, night after St. George Holiday, patrol police crew stopped BMW nearby Didube Pantheon of Public Figures in Akaki Tsereteli Avenue; Kakhaber Azariashvili was driving the car. His friends Girogi Kurdadze, Levan Dangadze, Akaki Bartaia, Irakli Mikaberidze and Amiran (Buta) Robakidze were in the car. The young people got out of the car when a member of patrol police crew Giorgi Bashaleishvili shot Buta Robakidze from the gun and killed on the place. Griogi Bashaleishvili was judged for imprudent murder.

Buta Robakidze’s friends were searched on the place and investigation withdrew firearms and ammunition from them. The young people were convicted for illicit purchase-storage-carriage of firearms and ammunition. 

The investigation concluded that the accusation imposed on the young people was fraud.

Kakhaber Azariashvili, Giorgi Kurdadze and Akaki Bartaia were charged under Article 236 Part I and II of the Criminal Code of Georgia. New circumstances of abuse of professional authority and falsification of evidence on the committed professional fabrication by police officers were discovered by investigation, which significantly influenced the disputable case. The investigation process started at 15:00 pm on December 17, 2012. Considering the aforementioned circumstances, prosecutor’s side declined the accusation against Kakhaber Azariashvili, Giorgi Kurdadze and Akaki Bartaia.

The investigation also estimated that after Buta Robakidze’s murder, head of Tbilisi Police Department Zurab Mikadze and other police officers arrived at the scene. They committed another crime to avoid possible degrading of police reputation. Namely, Zurab Mikadze brought firearms and ammunition to the place by two police cars. Afterwards, police officers put the firearm on the scene of crime to falsify evidence. They put Kalashnikov automatic gun near Buta Robakidze’s body and distributed the rest of firearms among other detainees; afterwards, they drew up false search protocols. Zurab Mikadze compelled a police officer to give false testimony to the investigation based on artificial evidence of withdrawn firearms and the police officer implemented his order.”