Thea Tutberidze Questioned at Bacho Akhalaia’s Trial

Salome Chkheidze

Thea Tutberidze was questioned as a witness at the trial on former defense minister Bachana Akhalaia. She said investigative bodies oppressed accused Giorgi Kintsurashvili and Manuchar Daraselia ; they had personally informed her about it.

Tutberidze said when Akhalaia was arrested a stranger met and told her two persons wanted to speak with her. Tutberidze said she gave her phone number to the person and several days later she was called and appointed meeting.

“I met two strangers nearby Nutsubidze Street late at night. They introduced themselves as Manuchar Daraselia and Giorgi Kintsurashvili. They said that during interrogation on November 7, prosecutor Tengiz Kharebava and several investigators intimidated them. They threatened the witnesses with the arrest and demanded to make testimony against Bacho Akhalaia in exchange of being only a witness in this case. As they told me, finally they signed some papers and left the investigation unit under witness status. I asked the men to hold a press-conference and tell the story to journalists. But they requested me to guarantee their security but of course I could not promise it,” Tutberidze said.

Thea Tutberidze said Daraselia and Kintsurashvili talked a little and then asked her to wait for them till 12:00 pm of the next day to leave the country; afterwards Tutberidze could make the provided information public. Tutberidze said she agreed and asked them to make a video-testimony. The witness said Daraselia and Kintsurashvili went towards a block of flats in Nutsubidze but does not remember exact address. Daraselia made a video-recording there but Kintsurashvili refrained from it. He promised Tutberidze to send the video from the foreign country.

“Next day, on November 12, I held press-conference; I gave the video to journalists and later to lawyers. On November 13, prosecutor’s office charged Daraselia and Kintsurashvili after I released the information. The lawyer of the accused people told me no new circumstances were discovered in the case since November 7 that could become ground of their accusation. It is noteworthy that prosecutor’s office did not get interested in the information and did not launch investigation against the prosecutor who was blamed in oppression by the accused people.”

Manuchar Daraselia and Giorgi Kintsurashvili are accused of illicit restriction of freedom of Zviad Abesadze together with Bachana Akhalaia and are sought now.

Judge suggested Thea Tutberidze to keep order several times who emotionally responded to the questions of the prosecutor. She was laughing at them and asking counter-questions; she was speaking loudly.