Prosecutor’s Office still has questions for Sakvarelidze
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Friday, March 8
The Chief Prosecutor’s Office summoned United National Movement member Davit Sakvarelidze for questioning on March 7th. A statement concerning the issue together with a written deposition from the key witness has been published on the Chief Prosecutor’s web page.
The deposition published by the Prosecutor’s Office claims that Sakvarelidze, who formerly held the post of Deputy Chief Prosecutor, was involved in various violations together with other former high-ranking officials.
According to the deposition from Giorgi Kavlashvili, an attorney at the Prosecutor’s Office, former officials at the Prosecutor’s Office and Kakheti Governor Giorgi Ghviniashvili were involved in illegal actions and money extortion.
Kavlashvili participated in cases involving Nino Kokaia, who is the daughter of Zestaponi Football Club president Ilia Kokaia and Ronen Gur, who is son of Georgian-born Israeli businessman Ephraim Gur.
Nino Kokaia was involved in a road accident and according to Kavlashvili in exchange for a plea bargain the former Chief Prosecutor Murtaz Zodelava extorted 5 million lari from Ilia Kokaia.
Kavlashvili also claims that Ronen Gur was accused of plotting murder and was wanted by Georgian law enforcement.
“His father Ephraim Gur believed his son was innocent and asked the Prosecutor’s Office to stop the investigation. In exchange of termination of the investigation the Prosecutor’s Office demanded 1 million lari and the Jewish businessman paid the money.” Kavlashvili stated, adding that then Deputy Prosecutor Davit Sakvarelidze was directly involved in the exhortation process.
Sakvarelidze has responded that the claims are groundless and that while he is willing to cooperate with officials from the Prosecutor's Office he has no intention of visiting the Prosecutor's Office.
“I never met with Ephraim Gur...I am ready to answer questions, even those concerning completely baseless accusations but in my office at the Parliament Building." Sakvarelidze said.
Sakvarelidze also claims that the lawyers used by the new government of Georgia are fabricating accusations against former officials.
