Interior Minister Vakhtan Gomelauri meets with Director of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Police Department Avtandil Galdava
By Nika Gamtsemlidze
Monday, October 26
The Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia Vakhtang Gomelauri arrived in Zugdidi to meet with the director of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti police department Avtandil Galdava.
Entering the police building, the Minister of Internal Affairs refused to give any comments to the media.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has released a statement, according to which the identity of the perpetrator of the robbery attack on the Bank of Georgia has been found and the person has been identified.
“We would like to provide additional information to the public about the ongoing investigation into the October 21st robbery of the Bank of Georgia in Zugdidi. The Ministry of Internal Affairs, as a result of complex investigation, has found the identity of the perpetrator of the robbery and he has been identified,” reads the ministry’s statement.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs appeals to the media and the public not to share photos of the robber, as doing so would hinder the ongoing investigation.
On October 21st, an armed man took 43 hostages in one of the branches of the Bank of Georgia in Zugdidi. After the gradual release of the hostages, the armed man, who demanded $500,000 and safe passage, left the bank building together with three hostages and the director of the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Police Department, Avtandil Galdava.
They left Zugdidi by car late at night, and in the morning the Ministry of Internal Affairs issued an official statement that all hostages had been released, their lives and health were not in danger, and an intensive investigation was underway under Articles 179, 236 and 144 of the Criminal Code.
