Crime Admitted By Different Person

Maka Malakmadze, Batumi 

Will the court consider the testimony of the prisoner Shota Sakvarelidze who pleads the crime for what suspect Irakli Kalandadze is accused for?

Irakli Kalandadze, a resident of Batumi, is accused for the crime which is pleaded by another person. He is also charged for illegal storage of narcotics and illegal wearing of gun. The attorney of the detainee stated that investigation promises to discharge him from other accusations if he pleads wounding of Chakhvadze. However, Kalandadze does not plead guilty. 

Law enforcers arrested Irakli Kalandadze on September 27, 2008 when he was leaving church. Policemen from Kobuleti district department found 0,025 grams of heroin on him. Afterwards, he was charged under three articles (236, 117 and 260) of the Criminal Code of Georgia. According to the bills of particulars, which was drawn up on November 12, 2008 by Z. Metonidze, intern of Batumi district prosecutor’s office, Kalandadze is accused for: premeditated wounding of Zviad Chakhvadze and illegal purchase and wearing of gun and narcotics. 

Initially, Kalandadze was arrested for drugs. A large amount of heroin was found in his pocket after he emptied his pockets in the church. “My client was arrested immediately after leaving the church. He was told in the church that police was waiting for him outside and emptied his pockets there. The police arrested him immediately and discovered particularly large amount of narcotics on him. Why he should have left the evidence in his pockets, even if he had drugs. As the accused told me, he was demanded to plead wounding of Zviad (Lasha) Chakhvadze and the court could discharge him from the initial accusation,” said Suliko Makharadze, attorney of Kalandadze.

Suliko Makharadze stated that there is a range of illegality in case materials. “Personal search of the detainee was conducted through violation of the law-nobody attended the process. The law enforcers have not withdrawn the gun from which Chakhvadze was shot; Kalandadze is blamed for illegal possession of that gun. He is accused for the wounding based on the testimony of Tamar Pipia, the witness.”

Vera Dolidze, judge at Kobuleti district court, is in charge of the case. Shota Sakvarelidze was interrogated as a witness at the trial on March 6 and he stated. “I did not make correct testimony to the investigation. It was I who wounded Chakhvadze but I did not tell it.” The judge inquired why he had not stated it before and the prisoner replied. “When I learned that this person is arrested for the crime, I told the investigator that I wanted to make a testimony but he did not come.”

Sakvarelidze recalled details at the trial: “We were sitting in front of the hotel “Inturist” in Bulvar; we were talking and drinking. Chakhvadze annoyed me; he tried to strangle me. I took out the gun (I had it in my belt) and shot twice in his legs. He fell down and I followed him by inertia. I fired two more. Suddenly I heard people shouting and I escaped. Chakhvadze can confirm my testimony.”

Prosecutor Vazha Todua tried to oppress the witness instead asking questions regarding the incident after Sakvarelidze made a testimony. Shota Sakvarelidze is charged under Article 260 and 179 of the Criminal Code of Georgia and he is placed in Batumi Prison # 3.

-Do you know how many years you will spend in prison?

-Approximately 15 years

-No, you will not escape 30-year-imprisonment-the prosecutor replied.

Next trial is earmarked on March 20. The court investigation is finished and only the victim will be interrogated. However, victim Zviad Chakhvadze has not appeared to any trials yet. According to the inspector of his district, mother of Chakhvadze informed him that the victim has been to Russia for several months already. Testimony of Chakhvadze to preliminary investigation states: “I do not know who wounded me, but I definitely know that it was not Irakli Kalandadze.”

Representatives of the Public Defender met witness Shota Sakvarelidze several weeks before the trial started. “Manana Darchia, relative of Kalandadze applied to us. We studied the case and met the accused in Batumi prison # 3. He personally told us that the person who in fact had wounded Chakhvadze was also in prison. We met Shota Sakvarelidze too. He explained everything in his statement to us and repeated the same at the trial.”