Accused People Questioned in the Episode of Sergo Tetradze’s Death at the Court

Salome Chkheidze

On November 13, a trial on Megis Kardava and co-defendants in the same case was held at the Tbilisi City Court. Accused Oleg Patsatsia, Viktro Kacheishvili, Rati Mgeladze, Zviad Kapanadze and Sergo Bitsadze were questioned at the trial in the episode of Sergo Tetradze’s death.

Head of security unit of the Prison # 8 Viktor Kacheishvili said on September 23, 2011 he was inspecting the penitentiary establishment together with the prison director Aleksandre Mukhadze. “We went to the quarantine room, when Mukhadze ordered our colleague Vladimer Bedukadze to bring one of the prisoners. Later I learned that it was Sergo Tetradze. Aleksandre Mukhadze asked me, Bedukadze and others to leave him alone with Tetradze in the room. Ten minutes later we heard the voice of prison director, who was calling for doctor. I went downstairs and saw Tetradze lying on the floor. Soon the doctor came and requested to take the prisoner to hospital immediately,” Viktor Kacheishvili said.

Prosecutor asked him whether he had seen other prisoners in the quarantine room and he answered accused Sisauri and Terashvili were walking in the quarantine room. Next time, those people were not there. According to the investigation, Mukhadze had ordered Sisauri and Terashvili to degrade Tetradze and he died in the process of torture. 

Kacheishvili also clarified that he heard strange voices from the quarantine room but could not make out clearly. The only thing he heard Mukhadze was demanding Tetradze to admit some crime but the later refused.

Head of regime Oleg Patsasia made similar testimony to the court. He said he first saw Tetradze in the quarantine unit on September 23 and he was in the front office when heard Mukhadze’s voice; going downstairs he saw Tetradze lying on the floor. Patsatsia clarified that he wanted to approach the prisoner but Mukhadze did not allow him and sent him to call doctor. So, Patsasia could not see any injuries on Tetradze’s body.

Prosecutor asked Patsasia whether he had noticed any injuries on Sergo Tetradze but he said the detainee had no injuries on the face but he did not look well and could not move properly. Oleg Patsatsia confirmed that initially prisoners Sisauri and Terashvili were in the quarantine room together with Tetradze but later they had left the room.

In the case on Sergo Tetradze’s death Megis Kardava was accused of torture and inhuman treatment, illicit restriction of freedom, abuse of power; currently he is sought. There are 11 more co-defendants in the same case.

According to the investigation, officers of the Defense Minister arrested war veteran office Sergo Tetradze, 57, for espionage in September of 2011. Tetradze’s family was notified six days after the detention that prisoner died of heart attack in prison #8. 

At that time, Bacho Akhalaia was Defense Minister of Georgia; Megis Kardava was head of military police. According to the investigation, during four-day imprisonment, different officers of the military police and penitentiary establishment beat, tortured and degraded officer Tetradze to get his confession. The prosecutor’s office claims Tetradze died in the process of torture.