The messenger logo

Zhvania’s case is to be opened soon says Gogla Zhvania

By Tea Mariamidze
Monday, October 13
Georgia’s former Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania’s body will be exhumed and Georgian and international experts will be involved in this process. Statement concerning the issue were made by the late Prime Minister’s brother Gogla Zhvania a couple of days ago.

Gogla Zhvania also stressed that the investigation will be finalized in the near future, without giving an exact date.

The former PM’s death still raises many unresolved questions.

After Zhvania was found dead, officials called it an accident, stating that his death was caused by gas inhalation. However, the family believes differently.

Forensic expert Levan Chachua, as well as Zhvania’s bodyguards Mikheil Dzadzamia and Koba Kharshiladze were arrested and charged with dereliction of duty several months ago.

Meanwhile, graphic images showing the dead bodies of the former Prime Minister and the Deputy Governor Raul Usupov were leaked on Youtube in March 2014. A video entitled "Saakashvili killed Mr. Zurab Zhvania” showed 12 photos of the bodies and identified a number of possible injuries that could be relevant to the men’s deaths. The video was uploaded from Turkey by a user named Hakim Pasha.

The Chief Prosecutor’s claims that the pictures were authentic. Investigators said the leaked photos were discovered in 2012 in the safe of former Chief Prosecutor Murtaz Zodelava.

A statement concerning Zhvania’s death was also made by former President Mikheil Saakashvili, who said that the Zhvania’s death might be connected with money.

Saakashvili stressed that after Zhvania’s death, the deceased PM’s wife Nino Kadagidze came to him, asking about a large amount of money the former PM received two days prior to his death. Saakashvili made the statements during his interview with Rustavi 2 on March 26 in Kiev. Zurab Zhvania’s family called the statement “unscrupulous.”