Family of alleged murderer of prosecutor mistrusts official investigation
By Tea Mariamidze
Wednesday, January 20
The family of the alleged murderer of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti prosecutor Vakhtang Kiria do not trust the investigation launched by the Prosecutor’s Office on January 18.
The family excludes the official version of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which stated that Bidzina Kuchava tortured and killed his relative Vakhtang Kiria and then committed suicide in his car after being confronted by pursuing police officers. The police also said that the suspect was planning to flee the country after killing his relative.
Bidzina Kuchava’s wife, Marina Nikolozashvili, says that it is incorrect that the prosecutors working on the case made early statements about her late husband, as the investigation is not finished yet.
“They portray Bidzina as a maniac; please, refrain from disseminating unverified information. I do not agree with the government’s version of events,” stated Kuchava’s wife, noting that the facts indicate at different things.
She also added that the toe on the foot of his husband was cut and then sewed on again. Moreover, the family says that the body has many other injuries. They invited an independent expert, Maia Nikoleishvili, as they do not trust the state’s investigation.
According to Maia Nikoleishvili, after an external examination, she cannot conclude what the reason of death was.
She did not confirm that the toe was cut and sewed back onto the foot, and stated that government coroners have cut out several skin samples from different parts of the body. Nikoleishvili added that an external examination alone is not enough for her.
“I hope the investigation will let me participate in the research; I also have to examine the car, and many other things have to be done in order to make up the whole picture,” said Nikoleishvili.
It should be noted that Vakhtang Kiria, a prosecutor for the western Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Prosecutor’s Office, was found dead in a rented apartment in Tbilisi on January 16.
The only suspect is his relative Bidzina Kuchava, who according to the police, killed himself when confronted by police officers.
It was also established that the murder case of Kiria is not linked to his professional activities.
