Three released in high-profile murder case of 19-year-old footballer

Three suspects, who were charged with violence in the high-profile murder case of 19-year-old footballer Giorgi Shakarashvili, have been released earlier today. 

Irakli Tsakadze, Saba Gogshelidze and Saba Chkhartishvili were involved in group violence against one of the guests of the birthday party Vakhtang Chikovani, Shakarashvili attended. 

• 3 accused of assaulting 19-year-old footballer Shakarashvili released from courtroom on bail

Chikovani accepted the release of the three individuals. 

In total 17 individuals have been detained in the Shakarashvili case. 

Four individuals have been sentenced to five years in prison and one individual to nine years in prison for group violence and kidnapping earlier this month, while five others have been sentenced to 10 and 16 years in prison for premediated murder. 

The Georgian Chief Prosecutor's Office says that the five convicts attacked and then threw Shakarashvili into the Aragvi River, while the remaining detainees were involved in group violence and kidnapping of Chikovani.

Shakarashvili went missing while at a friend’s birthday party in Mtskheta, a town outside of Tbilisi, early on June 19, 2020.

His body was found in the river Aragvi after a four-day search on June 22.