The former head of security service of late ex-PM Zurab Zhvania arrested

Koba Kharshiladze, former head of the security service of the late ex-PM Zurab Zhvania was arrested today in the evening.  

The Tbilisi Court of Appeal granted the Prosecutors motion and changed Koba Kharshiladzes sentence from 400 thousand GEL fine to detention. Consequently, Koba Kharshiladze was arrested in the court room.    

Kharshiladze has been charged for illegal entrepreneurial activity and embezzlement of public funds with the former governor of the Old Tbilisi district, Lasha Purtskhvanidze and the court sentenced 400 thousand GEL fine each on Devember 18. The courts decision was appealed to the Court of Appeal by the defense and prosecution parties.  The defense was appealing for bail amount to be reduced to 20 thousand GEL while the prosecution demanded both, Kharshiladze and Purtskhvanidze to be sentenced to detention as a preventive measure.  

The decision of the Court of Appeal granted the prosecutions appeal only for Kharshiladzes case. As for Purtskhvanidze, the preventive measure was not changed and the accused has to pay 400 thousand GEL (2300 USD) within ten days.    

Kharshiladzes arrest was later commented on by the Georgian Dream faction leader, Gia Volsky. He said arresting a person in case he is guilty is a logical and adequate reaction. He also did not exclude that there will be questions for him about the death of ex-PM Zurab Zhvania. However, he stated that he is not aware how the investigation is developing.  

Kharshiladze had been one of the first people who saw the corpse of the ex-PM after his death with suspicious circumstances.