Charges against lawyer to ex-Government officials revealed

Former police official and attorney of ex-Government officials Giorgi Oniani has been arrested and charged with abuse of power, falsifying evidence and intentional unlawful detention, Georgia’s Chief Prosecutor’s office reports.

Charges against the former head of Gldani-Nadzaladevi Police Division of Tbilisi and attorney of ex-Defence Minister Bacho Akhalaia, were made public this morning.

The Chief Prosecutor’s Office claim an investigation revealed Oniani was involved in multiple criminal acts.

The Office claimed in order to obstruct Georgian Dream political activities and to intimidate people who had different political views, Oniani illegally detained LTD "Dap-Print” manager David Shatirishvili, who produced logo-T-shits for the Georgian Dream coalition.

The Office claimed Oniani named this activity as the primary reason why Shatirishvili was arrested, in a conversation with him.

At the time, Oniani assigned his subordinate police officer to compile a report stating Shatirishvili was illegally carrying drugs. However, this kind of information was not received in the Gldani-Nadzaladevi division.

Later that day, Shatirishvili was arrested without any factual or legal basis, under the organization led by Oniani, the Chief Prosecutor’s Office statement read.

A subsequent search revealed Shatirishvili did not have any drugs and should have been immediately released however instead he was transferred to the administrative building of the Gldani-Nadzaladevi police division, under orders by Oniani.

The Prosecutors’ Office statement claimed Oniani purposely falsified evidence in a criminal case against Shatirishvili, particularly outlined the fact he purchased and possessed narcotics, namely cannabis, in large quantities, and told the investigator to report in official documents that he found and seized cannabis during his personal search of Shatirishvili, when in fact this never happened.

As a result, Shatirishvili was charged for illegal purchase and possession of a narcotic substance. The maximum prison sentence for such a crime is up to 11 years imprisonment.

The case against Oniani is still being investigated. If he is found guilty, he could face a prison sentence of up to eight years behind bars.

Oniani was arrested late last night. After authorities took him into custody, his health deteriorated and he was taken to the Cardiology Center Hospital, where he currently remains.

Doctors said Oniani was in a satisfactory condition.