House of Aunt In Exchange of Niece’s Debt

Tea Tedliashvili, Gori

Mediko Khokhashvili is homeless because of debts of her niece. Tsira Korinteli, the niece, had borrowed 9 300 USD from different people.  She owed 1 050 USD to Irine Kareli out of the total sum.

Irine Kareli decided to sell the house of Mediko Khokhashvili. She stated in her statement to the court that she had information about instable income of Korinteli. Kareli knew that Tsira Korinteli had other debtors too and could not return the money.

Consequently, Kareli decided to sell the house of Korinteli’s aunt. The latter stated that she had paid the debt to Kareli except final 200 USD. Kareli sold the house of Khokhashvili when Korinteli was not in Georgia and she had already sold her own house because of debts.

Khokhashvili has been arguing about her sold house for 15 years already. She and her only son live in the house of their relative; the second son shelters in the house of neighbor together with his family.

Khokhashvili appealed to every court in Georgia and law enforcement bodies to get the house back that was sold for the debts of her niece. However, she cannot prove that her house was illegally sold.

Tsira Korinteli confessed at every trial that she owed money to Irine Kareli and had other debtors too. She said her aunt had nothing to do with those debts. In regard with this fact, Korinteli wrote explanation letters at the prosecutor’s office and law enforcement bodies but it could not change anything.

Korinteli said she was in Moscow to sell her kidney when Kareli sold the house of Khokhashvili. “I had nothing more to sell and went to Moscow to sell my kidney to pay debts. My house was already sold; as for Medea Khokhashvili, she had not taken any debts,” said Korinteli.

Tsira Korinteli’s explanation letter to law enforcement body states that she had borrowed money for her sister-in-law. The latter could not pay the debts and since Korinteli was mediator between her sister-in-law and the debtor she had to pay the money.

Medea Khokhashvili said Irine Kareli broke into her house together with the members of former armed formation “Mkhedrioni” and took her to the notary under force; there she had to sign the warrant.

Soon Khokhashvili annulled the warrant because she said at the prosecutor’s office that the document was drawn up under intimidation. Prosecutor’s Office suggested Khokhashvili to appeal to the court. Consequently, the warrant between Khokhashvili and Kareli was annulled. One week later, Irine Kareli broke into the house of Medea Khokhashvili together with armed people for the second time.

“My younger son was 4 years old then. They told me to send the child out because they were going to stab me and then put salt in the wounds. They demanded me to go to the notary to register my house on their name. I did not have any choice and followed them. Purchase agreement was registered at the notary which stated that I sold house for 160 million coupons (approx. 137 USD) to Irine Kareli. This price was unreal. A month later Kareli sold my flat to Mariam Eshmakurashvili for 355 million coupons (approx. 273 USD). The latter stated at the trial that she had sold my house for 12 000 USD and had paid her and others debts. At that time, I appealed purchase agreement but since I did not hold medical conclusion on my physical assault, law enforcement officers said there was no sign of intimidation on me”, said Medea Khokhashvili.

After selling the house, Irine Kareli registered the house on Eshmakuashvili without Medea Khokhashvili. However, Irine Kareli sold the house without having registered it on her name and it was still a property of Khokhashvili.

It was found out that the flat was registered as Eshmakurashvili’s property at the Public Registration Agency in 2003. Medea Khokhashvili found out it only after she decided to register her house in the Public Registration Agency. Khokhashvili holds a document of the Public Registration Agency issued on February 28, 2007. It states that the house in Chanturia St. N 34 is registered on the name of Medea Khokhashvili.

On June 6, 2007, Khokhashvili needed a notification from the PRA because her son Imeda Dotiashvili had to take ID. Davit Oniashvili, head of the Gori district PRA, gave the document to her and it stated that the flat in Chanturia St. N 34 belonged to Medea Khokhashvili’s own. According to the document, her son was registered in Chanturia Street. Gocha Dotiashvili (son of Medea Khokhashvili) still receives bills at this address.

Having collected all documents, Medea Khokhashvili applied to the PRA to register her flat. However she was told the flat could not be registered on her, because the house had already been registered on the name of Mariam Eshmakurashvili on January 27, 2003.

Medea Khokhashvili was evicted from her flat two times. Once in 1995, the second time in 2009. Eshmakurashvili does not appear at trials and her flat is locked in Gori. She is not going to give the flat back to Khokhashvili if the latter does not pay 30 000 USD to her.