Three Former Officials Testify They Were Unaware of Chorchana Checkpoint
By Messenger Staff
Thursday, September 24, 2026
Three former senior officials testified that they were unaware of the construction of a police checkpoint near Chorchana in 2019, prosecutor Tamar Iakobidze said following the latest hearing in the case against former Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia.
The witnesses were Kakhi Kakhishvili, who headed the Government Administration at the time, former State Security Service deputy head Aleksandre Tabatadze and former Shida Kartli Governor Giorgi Khojevanishvili.
"All three witnesses stated they had not been informed about the construction of the said checkpoint," Iakobidze said.
The prosecutor said the testimony supports the prosecution's allegation that Gakharia made the decision to establish the checkpoint without informing or consulting the State Security Service or members of the National Security Council.
Iakobidze also referred to testimony from former Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze, saying it indicated that Gakharia had not coordinated the decision with the relevant officials.
The hearing was held behind closed doors because the testimony involved information classified as state secrets, according to the prosecutor.
More than half of the prosecution's witnesses have now been questioned, Iakobidze said, adding that the examination of evidence is nearing completion.
Gakharia is accused of ordering the establishment of an additional police checkpoint near Chorchana along the occupation line in August 2019. Prosecutors allege the decision resulted in about 100 hectares of forest coming under the control of occupation forces and that homes in the villages of Kobi and Tsnelisi subsequently fell within occupied territory.
The charges carry a maximum sentence of up to 13 years in prison.
