Girgvliani’s family demands punishment of Merabishvili’s wife
By Tea Mariamidze
Thursday, August 14
Sandro Girgvliani’s father Guram Girgvliani states that the wife of former Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili- Tako Salakaia must be punished for his son’s murder.
A former employee of the Constitutional Security Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, Oleg Melnikov, has given testimony against the former head of the Constitutional Security Department, Data Akhalaia, the former Minister of Justice, Zurab Adeishvili, and the former President Mikheil Saakashvili, with regard to Sandro Girgvliani’s murder case.
Sandro Girgvliani’s murder case is one of the most notorious criminal cases under the previous government. Sandro Girgvliani 28, was kidnapped and found dead in 2006 after his incident with former officials at a Sharden Bar. Tako Salakaia was among the officials celebrating the Inspector General of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Vasil Sanodze’s birthday.
Melnikov stated that Tako Salakaia called the former head of the Constitutional Security Department Data Akhalaia and told him that Girgliani troubled them. Melnikov states that after the call Akhalaia sent special unit members to the bar, who kidnapped Girgvliani.
Prosecutor Irakli Nadareishvili stated that Salakaia would be summoned for questioning.
Guram Girgvliani states that through the Melnikov’s testimony, Salakaia was named as an initiator of the murder. Girgvliani stresses that all the people who were at the bar and are linked with the murder must be punished.
Girgvliani states as well that Melnikov and some others related to the murder might have been silent because they feared the previous government.
“I am ready to answer any questions with regard to Sandro Girgvliani’s case,” Georgia’s former Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili’s wife Tako Salakaia told journalists on Wednesday.
“As far as I know, an absurd version was fabricated by the help of Melnikov. I was questioned regarding this case in the past and now I am also ready to answer any question,” Salakaia said.
