Kutaisi Dwellers Await Scandalous Court Hearing

On June 28 Kutiasi Appeal Court will start discussion of next scandalous case on those policemen who murdered nineteen-year-old Varlam Fkhakadze. The accident happened in Chavchavadze Street 19 in Kutaisi on December 7 2006.

One of those two criminal cases launched on the murder is already under court discussion. Another case was launched on Varlam Fkhakadze under the Georgian Criminal Case, Article 117 and it is still under preliminary investigation.

Rezo Tofuria, lawyer for Boria Fkhakadze, father of the dead boy, has applied to the West Georgia’s Regional Prosecutor and demanded to drop the criminal prosecution against Varlam Fkhakadze. Though, the lawyer demanded to drop the investigation because of lack of evidences and not because of the death of the accused.  The Prosecutor’s Office replied they would send them additional information about the investigation and final verdict. Afterwards, the lawyer mediated to Levan Zalkalian, Prosecutor Supervisor of the Patrol Police; however the latter did not satisfy his mediation.

“The condemned patrol policemen supposed that Varlam Fkhakadze had committed attempted robbery and on the basis of this supposition the case was launched against the dead boy. The preliminary investigation is eager to discharge the accused policemen. If it was wrong assumption the criminal prosecution on Varlam Fkhakadze would have been dropped long before because of lack of proofs,” said Rezo Tofuria.

On June 5 the lawyer brought suit to Zurab Adeishvili, Georgian Prosecutor General but the latter has not relied to the suit yet.

If the suit is satisfied it will be a great victory for the defense side. However, if it is not so, (which is more likely to happen) it can also be considered a success because the investigation will not be dropped because of death and lack of evidences and it will be discussed at the trial. In this case, the defense side will have chance to prove the innocence of Varlam Fkhakadze at the court.

Gocha Badzgaradze, the non-governmental organization “Egalitarian Institute’s representative in Kutaisi agrees with the lawyer and says that his organization will apply to all peaceful methods to influence law enforcement bodies in order to rehabilitate Fkhakadze. He demands the lawful punishment of murderers. Representatives of Kutaisi based NGOs share the opinion of the Egalitarian Institute. They have held several protest demonstration to demand the fair justice in Kutaisi.

Shorena Kakabadze, Kutiaisi