4 ex police charged in high-profile case of deceased businessman Patarkatsishvili
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Former top officials of the Georgian Interior Ministry Gia Dgebuadze, David Kokahsvili, Ilia Gamgebeli and Levan Kargadava have been charged with abuse of authority and illegal detention in the high-profile case of businessman Badri Patarkatsishvili, who died in his UK home in strange circumstances in 2008.
Controversy between former President Mikheil Saakashvili and Patarkatsishvili emerged after the controversial death of former PM Zurab Zhvania in 2005. They also could not agree on business-related issues.
Patarkatsishvili, who was one of the key opponents of Saakashvili and his government, was found dead in February 2008 in England when he was 52 years old.
The Prosecutor’s Office says that in June-July 2006 the Constitutional Security Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia [which was run by the four charged] was instructed to carry out surveillance on Patarkatsishvili as “the man was taken as a threat by the United National Movement (UNM) government.”
The former officials planned an armed attack on Patarkatsishvili’s house in Ureki in the summer of 2006. The plan included shooting at Patarkatsishvili’s house to make him afraid and force him [Patarkatsishvili] to give up politics, “the Prosecutor’s Office says.
The Prosecutor’s Office reports that former head of Ureki police Jemal Shamatava warned Patarkatsishvili regarding the upcoming attack.
The former officials learnt about it and decided to punish Shamatava. They [the former police officials] staged a robbery and instructed a man who was detained for robbery to accuse Shamatava of torture and sexual abuse,” the Prosecutor’s Office says.
The Prosecutor’s Office reports that the man [hired against Shamatava] inflicted injuries on his body at Ureki police station and accused Shamatava of torture and abuse which led to Shamatava’s detention and sentencing him to nine years in prison.
The charged individuals face nine to 11 years in prison.
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The Georgian Chief Prosecutor’s Office announced today that they have recordings which prove that the previous, United National Movement leadership was plotting to kill Georgian billionaire Badri Patarkatsishvili, who was found dead at his Surrey mansion in England on 12 February 2008.
Two former Georgian law-enforcement officers have been arrested and charged with murder.
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"The previous government has terrorized and blackmailed Patarkatsishvili’s family and has charged Badri Patarkatsishvili with absurd allegations,” Georgian Minister of Jutsice said.
Two police officials under the United National Movement government, Ilia Gamgebeli and David Kokiashvili, have admitted to the crime and said that they illegally detained head of Ureki police Jemal Shamatava back in 2006 who warned late businessman Badri Patarkatsishvili about a planned attack on his house.
Former Deputy Head of the Second Main Police Department of Tbilisi Levan Kardava has been sentenced to seven years and six months in prison for abuse of authority and illegal detention in the high profile case of late businessman Badri Patarkatsishvili.