Georgia’s ex-Chief Prosecutor sent to pre-trial detention in absentia

Today Tbilisi City Court made a verdict to send Georgia’s former Chief Prosecutor Zurab Adeishvili to pre-trial detention in absentia for a charge relating to alleged illegal seizure of property dating back to 2004.

Adeishvili – who has already been charged in absentia in Georgia for abuse of power with excessive use of violence, inhumane treatment, provoking a crime and fabricating evidence – is thought to be in Ukraine and giving advice to local authorities.

Today’s verdict related to an incident in western Adjara region where a vineyard was allegedly seized in 2004 by Adeishvili and other former officials.

Georgia’s Chief Prosecutor’s Office released a statement on November 16 stating Adeishvili, with Georgia’s former Interior Minister Ivane (Vano) Merabishvili, other former state officials and court representatives, participated in an illegal seizure of property owner by two winemakers Teimuraz Megrelishvili and Nodar Modebadze.

See details of the case here. 

Merabishvili is set to face trial for his role in the crime on January 12, 2016.

 If found guilty, the two former officials could face three to five years behind bars.

Unlike Adeishvili, Merabishvili is already in jail on unrelated charges.