Court Provides Official Clarification to Gigi Ugulava’s and Davit Kezerashvili’s Case

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Judging the motion against Tbilisi City Mayor Gigi Ugulava the prosecution failed to provide formal grounds for applying measures of restraint, reads the statement released by Tbilisi City Court upon the completion of the February 25 hearing of Gigi Ugulava’s and Davit Kezerashvili’s case.

On February 25 Tbilisi City Court denied prosecution’s motion on imposing the bail of GEL 1,000,000.

According to the court’s judgment there is no danger of hiding himself, committing a new crime, influencing the trial participants or hindering investigation process and in this certain case a relevant behavior by the defendant, his appearance in front of investigation as well as court will be secured without applying any measure of restraint.”

“No kind of measure of restraint will be applied to Giorgi Ugulava,” reads the court’s statement.

On February 23 the Investigative Body of the Ministry of Finance  filed charges against Tbilisi City Mayor Gigi Ugulava over illegal alienation of Imedi TV and embezzlement of budgetary funds in favor of the United National Movement. In Imedi TV-related episode prosecution filed charges against Davit Kezerashvili, former Minister of Defense.

“As regards the prosecution’s motion on the application of confinement as a measure of restraint against Davit Kezerashvili we consider that since Davit Kezerashvili is avoiding investigation and trial, hence hindering the implementation of justice, the court granted prosecution’s motion through imposing confinement on Davit Kezerashvili,” court ruled.

According to the same reports the court, without oral hearing, examined the prosecution’s motion on suspending Ugulava from office.

“Since the grounds for Ugulava’s suspension from office indicated in the motion are general and unsubstantiated the prosecution, according to the court’s ruling, was denied motion, accordingly Giorgi Ugulava won’t be dismissed from office,” says the court’s decision.

Pre-trial hearing on the suspension of his office is scheduled to be held on April 10, at 15:00 hrs at Tbilisi City Court.