Gia Udesiani and Zaza Gugava to appeal against the decision of the City Court
By Inga Kakulia
Wednesday, November 6
The Tbilisi City Court fully upheld the state’s prosecution motion and the arrest of the businessman, Gia Udesiani, convicted of extortion of immovable property as well as an entrepreneurial organization shares, in addition to participating in unlawful imprisonment and deprivation of liberty. Bail of GEL 50 000 was imposed on Zaza Gugava, accused of participation in the extortion. Judge Roman Khorava announced the relevant decision.
One of the accused Zaza Gugava attended the trial. As for the businessman Gia Udesiani, he has not been out of the country for several years.
Giorgi Chiviashvili, the lawyer representing both Zaza Gugava and Gia Udesiani spoke with the journalists after the decision was announced and shared that they will be appealing against the City Court.
“Of course, we will appeal the decision of the Tbilisi City Court, we will appeal, but we do not expect that anything will change, because it’s all Murusidzes and Chinchaladzes in court and they are all Bidzina Ivanishvili's handy boys," said the Lawyer Giorgi Chiviashvili to the media.
Chiviashvili added that he doesn’t understand what purpose it serves to imprison someone who is already is wanted and a prisoner.
“The Judge has been considering a preventive measure in the previous case with Gia Udesiani when he was first remanded in custody. He has a very specific position and attitude and today this was confirmed once again and we were right to demand his removal from the case.”
According to Chiviashvili the judge just reiterated the position of the Prosecutor’s office and completely dismissed all the arguments presented to him during the hearing.
The judge didn’t reduce Zaza Gugava’s bail. And regarding Udesiani, when presented with the notion that once a person has been sentenced to imprisonment, the Court doesn’t apply a second identical sentence, The Judge seemed to have a different approach.
The businessman against whom Udesiani allegedly committed these crimes, Emzar Liparteliani recalls that disagreements between him and Udesian started back in 2007.
According to the businessman, Udesian threatened him with a gun and demanded that the Liparteliani transfer his factory to him.
Liparteliani started a factory in 2007 with his business partner but shortly after Udesiani allegedly tried to threaten Liparteliani to persuade him to leave the business behind. After that Emzar Liparteliani went into hiding to stay away from Udesiani.
He said that in 2009, they were able to find him and forcibly transfer the shares of the factory to others, confirms the investigation.
