President's parliamentary secretary gets questioned at the Prosecutor’s Office
By Natalia Kochiashvili
Thursday, September 26
Dimitri Gabunia, the President's Parliamentary Secretary, was questioned by the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia within the framework of the investigation launched into recent presidential pardons issued on August 28.
Before entering the Prosecutor’s Office, Gabunia told reporters that he was ready to answer all the questions posed by investigators, noting that he doesn’t know anything about the pardon procedures. He also added that he wonders why his name appeared with the pardon case. Asked whether the Georgian president is going to come to the questioning, Gabunia said that " If she is summoned, she will probably come."
“I signed the statement on non-proclamation and I have no right to tell you what questions were about, for the reasons independent from me,” Gabunia, told reporters after leaving the Prosecutor General's Office.
He did not elaborate on the information that he provided, only saying that he trusted the investigation.
"I trust the full investigation after today interrogation as well, to tell you frankly, I have a feeling that the investigation is interested in identifying possible perpetrators and I trust the Prosecutor General's Office of Georgia and the investigation with 200%," said president’s parliamentary secretary.
He thanks the investigation for being interviewed on his request and hopes that those found guilty of possible crimes will be punished severely. He said he would file a lawsuit and demand "punishment of all those liars who publicly accused and mingled him in corruption."
“I hereby declare that, as soon as the investigation is complete, every person who threw mud on Dimitri Gabunia, my name, and surname, will be held accountable for this gross defamation, with the full severity of the law. I will personally file a complaint to the Prosecutor's Office and I will personally file a lawsuit in court, this issue will not end so well, this is a life-death issue for me, ”-says Gabunia.
On September 20, based on the appeal of the European Georgia Party, the General Prosecutor's Office of Georgia launched an investigation into the possible abuse of power in the process of pardoning murder convicts Ramaz Devadze, Aslan Bezhanidze, Zurab Nadiradze and others, the offense envisaged by part 1 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Georgia.
In particular, Irma Nadirashvili, a member of European Georgia, announced that when it comes to the pardoning of the certain individual by President, people address the President's Parliamentary Secretary to discuss the financial issues and the fee in exchange for which one can be pardoned.
By the August 28 pardon act President Zourabichvili pardoned 34 prisoners, among them several that convicted murderers of police officer Tarash Mukbanian, teenager Davit Otkhmezuri and Soso Koiava, whos father, Tamaz Koiava says that it was Dimitri Gabunia who was protecting his son's killer, wanted Zurab Nadiradze, who was sentenced to 15 years. Gabunia calls the accusation absurd and says he has never had any contact with Zurab Nadiradze.
There was particular dissatisfaction with the pardons. It caused outrage in society and among the opposition parties. As a result, Zourabichvili came up with a new initiative to regulate the issue of pardon.
Irma Nadirashvili, a member of the opposition political party European Georgia, has been summoned to the Prosecutor General's Office for questioning within the framework of the investigation into recent presidential pardons this Monday.
“We were contacted by a source who told us about the circumstances of Mr. Gabunia's involvement with the President's administration on pardoning, so I forwarded this information to the investigators, who wanted to interview me.”- commented Nadirashvili.
She said she refuses to identify her source for as far as possible, “as we live in a country where such a source may be subject to prosecution by the law enforcement agency itself”.
“From my source, it was directly stated that behind this kind of pardon, Gabunia is just making money. This is his business. This was the information we received and that our source personally experienced." -Nadirashvili said.
Prosecutor's Office does not specify whether the President will be questioned regarding the case. On September 19, Zourabichvili announced that she would be putting a moratorium on pardoning, meaning she will stop using this right until clearer procedures are established.
