Olympic champion, former MP Zviadauri sentenced to prison for murder charges
By Natalia Kochiashvili
Friday, August 20
Telavi District Court Judge Tamar Kapanadze sentenced Olympic champion Zurab Zviadauri to imprisonment as a measure of restraint.
At yesterday’s trial, Zviadauri's defenders petitioned for bail (GEL 50,000). The prosecutor's office did not agree with the motion to release him on bail, arguing that if he were released, there was a danger of committing a new crime, hiding and influencing witnesses. The athletes Varlam Liparteliani, Avtandil Chrikishvili and former MP Zakaria Kutsnashvili stood the bail for Zviadauri, Olympic champions Lasha Talakhadze and Lasha Bekauri also offered to serve as guarantors that Zviadauri would not skip bail. However, the judge dismissed the proposal and did not grant the motion of the defense.
The process was planned to be held later, however, the side demanded the speeding up of the process. According to the lawyers, the reason for this was the funeral of Zviadauri's brother, which was planned for August 19 and the former MP wanted to attend. For this it was necessary to discuss the issue of imposing a measure of restraint on the court. He was taken to the funeral, accompanied by an escort. Prior to the trial, his status did not allow him to attend the funeral. The brother of Olympic champion Zurab Zviadauri, who was killed on August 16 in the forest of the village of Tsinandali, will be buried in Akhmeta.
Olympic champion and former member of the Georgian Parliament Zurab Zviadauri was charged on August 18 under Article 108 of the Criminal Code, which stipulates premeditated murder. The investigation charges Zviadauri with the murder of 27-year-old Nika Kenchoshvili.
The Georgian Interior Ministry reported that a verbal dispute on an ordinary issue led to the physical confrontation in Tsinandali. According to the law enforcement agency, on August 16 in the village of Tsinandali in Telavi Municipality, the quarrel between several people turned into a physical confrontation, which was followed by a shootout.
Akhmeta resident Vasil Tsotskhalashvili shot Nika Kenchoshvili with a firearm belonging to Jaba Jangirashvili, who retaliated.
Vasil Tsotskhalashvili and Zviad Zviadauri were killed on the spot as a result of gunfire by Kenchoshvili, while Zviad Maisuradze and Anzor Shamrelashvili were wounded.
According to the prosecutor's office, Zurab Zviadauri, who took part in the conflict, fatally wounded Nika Kenchoshvili with a weapon registered with his name.
Zviadauri's lawyers do not agree with the accusation and say that the former MP acted within the necessary repulsion. Zviadauri himself does not plead guilty either, he says that he was forced to shoot and that it was not a premeditated murder.
The trial is set to resume on October 8. If found guilty, Zviadauri may be sentenced up to 15 years in prison.
