Detainee in murder case of Australian citizen Shanae Brooke Edwards denies accusations

Rafael Mursakulov (L) will be officially charged later today for murder of Australian citizen Shanae Brooke Edwards in Tbilisi.

Agenda.ge, 09 Sep 2021 - 11:08, Tbilisi,Georgia

Rafael Mursakulov, who has been arrested by Georgian police for the murder of Australian citizen  Shanae Brooke Edwards in central Tbilisi late July, denies the allegations against him, his lawyer has told journalists. 

The lawyer says that the detainee had no acquaintance with Brooke Edwards and that he uses the right to silence. 

Mursakulov, who is a citizen of Georgia living in Tbilisi, was arrested yesterday and he will be officially charged later today. 

The Georgian Interior Ministry says that more than 200 individuals have been questioned and DNA samples of the suspect have been sent to 194 foreign states. 

Shanae Brooke Edwards arrived in Georgia two years ago.

Investigators also found the weapon of the crime – the knife in the damaged condition at the crime scene.

All the evidence, including DNA samples, point at the guilt of the detainee,” said the ministry. 

The ministry has not yet stated what could be the motive of the crime. 

Local media agency Ambebi.ge has reported that Mursakulov lived on the same, Gogebashvili street in central Tbilisi, where Brooke Edwards lived and the motive behind the crime could be robbery. 

Mursakulov wanted to grab her Ipone 12. However, Brooke Edwards threw it away,” said Ambebi.ge. 

The agency claims that in the fight with Brooke Edwards Mursakulov cut his hand and police also found his blood stains at the crime scene. 

A group of individuals gathered in central Tbilisi yesterday, following the reports on arrest, with candles, flowers and the sign.  

Mursakov’s aunt ‘excludes’ his involvement in the crime. She says that Mursakov has a previous crime record for robbery. 

She also told local media outlets that Mursakulov has been an activist of the ruling Georgian Dream party since 2012. 

Ruling party MP Irakli Zarkua has stated that the opposition and opposition-minded TV channels are happy to say that the suspect was the ruling party activist. 

We have thousands of members and supporters and the ruling party can not be responsible for their thoughts and behaviours,” Zarkua wrote on his Facebook page. 

Shanae Brooke Edwards, who went missing on July 30 afternoon after going hiking in Mtatsminda park in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi, was found dead on July 31.

She was an English teacher who came to Georgia about two years ago.

The crime is punishable by 7-15 years in prison.