Prosecutor’s Office Requested Imprisonment for Davit Geladze but Court Imposed Bail on Him

Interpresnews

Member of the parliamentary minority Givi Targamadze said head of fourth unit of the Criminal Police of the MIA Davit Geladze wounded 18-year-old young man. MP said at the press-conference in Kutaisi that on May 26 at 10:00 pm Davit Geladze was driving his car at a high speed drunk.

Targamadze said Geladze drove past 18-year-old young Gigi Svani at a high speed: “After the latter expressed his astonishment, Geladze stopped car, got off and started quarrel with the young man. Due to his position, he was fully aware that there were watch video-cameras in the central street, so he took the young man to the Kipshidze Street where he pointed gun at him and shot. Luckily the young man moved before shooting and he was shot in the shoulder instead head. The wound was quite serious. Gigi Svani was taken to emergency unit of the Central Hospital at about 22:30 pm. He was operated once but needs second operation though he is still under risk of disability.”

Targamadze said they maximally tried not to interfere in the investigation process and did not want to respond to “rumors.”

[But] “Nowadays, it is obvious that investigation is not progressing. Moreover, we saw an interview with the victim’s grandfather, where she stated that MIA tries to hide the trace even in hospital. I think it is my obligation to interfere in it and inform society, media and relevant institutions about it,” Targamadze said.

MP said that considering the fact that the incident started in the central avenue of Tbilisi, where there are a lot of cameras, they must have recorded the suspect. If the footage is erased, the relevant official at the MIA shall be held responsible for that,” Targamadze said.

He added that emergency unit of the Central Hospital keep the history on Gigi Svani’s medical assistance in secret and claims it was sent to the archive. As Targamadze noted the history shall be requested from the archive but if it is destroyed, relevant persons shall be held responsible.

“Initially, the MIA’s spokesperson Nino Giorgobiani stated that Davit Geladze does not work for the MIA at all. After we introduced the financial declaration of Geladze, which he had submitted this year and has written MIA as his working place, Giorgobiani said Geladze had resigned based on his personal report 1 or 2 weeks ago. The crime was committed three weeks ago. Consequently, Geladze was head of the fourth unit of the Criminal Police at MIA by that time,” Tagamandze said.

MP added that there is reliable information which proves that Davit Geladze’s friend paid the price of Gigi Svani’s operation; the same person is going to cover the expenses of his second operation.

“Since Davit Geladze is old colleague, friend and de-facto deputy of Davit Bedia, head of Criminal Police at MIA, since Davit Bedia is the cousin of odious Soso Alavidze (head of Tbilisi police during Shevardnadze’s government), deputy minister of interior Aleko Tabatadze is ally of Alavidze, we can assume that a well-organized criminal clan is working in the senior administration of the MIA,” Tagamadze said.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office the statements of the minority MPs about wounding of Gigi Svani groundless and spread information in relation with the investigation. 

The statement reads that on May 26, investigation was launched into wounding Gigi Svani in Kipshidze street on the same day at the first unit of Tbilisi Vake Saburtalo district police department on injuring Gigi Svani’s health and illicit purchase, storage, possession of firearms that is punishable under Article 118 Part I and Article 236 Part I and II of the Criminal Code of Georgia.

“All investigative and operative activities were carried out to solve the crime. After the investigation detected assumed participation of the police officer in the crime, the case was forwarded to the investigation unit of the Tbilisi Prosecutor’s Office. The latter arrested Davit Geladze on June 11 – head of the fourth unit of the Criminal Police. Geladze was charged under Article 117 Part I of the Criminal Code of Georgia (premeditated grave injury of the body). On June 12, Tbilisi Prosecutor’s Office appealed to the court to impose imprisonment on Geladze as a preventive measure. On June 14, Tbilisi City Court did not satisfy the prosecutor’s office solicitation and imposed a bail of 15 000 lari on him. Tbilisi Prosecutor’s Office will appeal the court decision. Investigation into the case is still underway,” the statement of the Prosecutor’s Office reads.

Minister of Justice Thea Tsulukiani said law enforcement officers deserve gratitude because they exposed assumed perpetrator who wounded the young man.

“The crime, which was committed against Svani, a young man, shocked the entire society. We learned about this accident several days ago. We should thank to law enforcement officers, for having exposed assumed perpetrator in this crime. The main point is that prosecutor’s office requested imprisonment, whilst the court just bailed him,” Thea Tsulukiani said.