Ex Minister of Defense found guilty

Ex Minister of Defense of Georgia, Bacho Akhalaia, was found guilty of inhuman treatment in the 2006 prison riot case. He was sentenced to three years and nine months in jail with 4,000 GEL fine. Moreover, Akhalaia will not be allowed to fill a post for two years and three months.

The original verdict against Akhalaia was a five-year prison term, but the sentence was truncated as charges were falling under the amnesty act passed by the Parliament in December, 2012.

Three other co-defendants, Davit Tchkadua, Revaz Tcharbadze and Megis Kardava who are now at large, were also found guilty and sentenced to two years and nine months.

Goga Oniani, one of the ex-ministers lawyers, says that the judge Lasha Chkhikvadze complied with the demand of Deputy Chief Prosecutor Lasha Natsvlisvili. According to Oniani, Ex-minister Akhalaia was charged only after the judge met Natsvlishvili and was told by him what to do.

"Its bad not only for Akhalaia but for the country, too. For next several years, court will not be independent, the lawyer said.