Tengiz Gunava Sentenced to Four Years in Prison

Salome Chkheidze

Former head of General Inspection, Governor of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Tengiz Gunava was sentenced to four years imprisonment. Tbilisi City Court found him guilty in three episodes of charges. The convict was detained in the courtroom and transferred to the penitentiary department.

Governor of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Tengiz Gunava was found guilty in two episodes of charges at a trial held on July 12th, particularly, illegal appropriation of 49 500 GEL and 3000 ton fuel by abuse and misuse of work authorities during the period of working as a head of Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) General Inspection.

Tbilisi City Court found Tengiz Gunava not guilty in the third episode of the charges which regards abuse of authority and intentionally inflicting light bodily damage. The episode regarded the incident occurred at the railway station in March of 2012 in Zugdidi during which, according to the Office of Prosecutor, Gunava who held the post of head of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti regional police, wounded his driver, Kakhaber Izoria in the leg.

In sum, the judge sentenced Gunava to 8 years in prison. However, on the basis of Amnesty Law, this sentence was reduced to 4 years. Tengiz Gunava was transferred to penitentiary department after the verdict was read.

Former head of General Inspection was arrested on November 16th of 2012 under the charges of illegal possession of drugs and illegal carrying of weapons. On November 18th the court refused to satisfy the request of prosecution, namely to impose preliminary arrest as a compulsory measure and released him for 10 thousand GEL bail. In several days Gunava was detained second time and was charged with following offences: abuse of authority, intentionally inflicting light bodily damage and illegal appropriation of state property. Judge imposed bail as a compulsory measure in this case as well. Later, President Saakashvili appointed Tengiz Gunava to the post of Governor of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region.

At a trial held on February 22nd of 2013, Judge Khatuna Kharchilava unified two criminal cases filed against Gunava. On March 13th, Office of Prosecutor withdrew charges of illegal possession of drugs and illegal carrying of weapons and the case hearings continued only in three episodes.

Sufferer Kakhaber Izoria and witness Bakur Gulua were interrogated as witnesses at a trial regarding the charge of inflicting light bodily damage. According to investigation, Kakhaber Izoria sent short text message with intimate content to a close relative of Gunava. Bakur Gulua found out about it and informed Tengiz Gunava. The latter decided to talk to Izoria and met him at Zugdidi railway station. Gunava wounded Izoria there, according to the investigation.

According to Kakhaber Izoria, he mistakenly sent this message and tried to explain this to Gunava, but it did not work and they had dispute. Then he tried to leave the area, but after going for about 15-20 meters, he heard sound of shooting and felt strong pain in the leg, but he did not see who wounded him.

One of the witnesses, Bakur Gulua who came to the station with Gunava states that not only Izoria, but he was also wounded in the leg at the meeting. Gulua noted that when he turned he saw Gunava with a gun in his hand, but he did not see who shot.

A representative of the MIA as side of sufferer was also interrogated at the trial. “In September of 2012, head of General Inspection of the MIA Tengiz Gunava appropriated 49 500 GEL and 3000 ton fuel which belonged to MIA.” – Lawyer of Legal Issues Department of the Ministry Nino Tsotsonava stated at the interrogation.

As the case regarded the money involved in the fulfillment of task of state secrecy, the prosecution requested to close the trial and Nino Tsotsonava’s interrogation was closed.

Tengiz Gunava and his lawyers permanently stated during the trial that the defendant used this money and fuel when fulfilling the task of state secrecy, but could not talk about it publicly.

At a trial held on July 12th, lawyer Malkhaz Velijanashvili stated in his final speech that the Office of Prosecutor has not ascertained when and for which cars the fuel was used and whether it was work cars. According to lawyer, defense side has information that the fuel was used for MIA cars in the territory of West Georgia where Gunava was fulfilling task of state secrecy.

Judge found evidence insufficient to find Gunava guilty in the episode of wounding Kakhaber Izoria. As for the illegal appropriation of money and fuel, Judge found Gunava guilty and sentenced him to four years in prison.