Former Police Official Charged for Raid on Imedi TV

Former Head of the Special Operative Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia, Erekle Kodua, was charged by the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia (POG) for excessing his official rights during the raid on Imedi TV in November, 2007, when the United National Movement (UNM) was in government.

At present Kodua is not in Georgia and his whereabouts are unknown as he is wanted for several more charges, including attack on former MP Valery Gelashvili, for which Kodua was sentenced to 9 years in prison in absentia.

 Georgia’s ex-prsident Mikheil Saakashvili, also former Prime Minister Ivane Merabishvili and other former officials were also charged for organizing raid on Imedi TV.

POG reports that as a result of the forceful dispersal of the TV-Company, 13 persons have been recognized as victims, most of them are journalists of Imedi TV.

“The damage to the TV equipment in the form of destruction, damage, or loss of technical equipment and inventory amounted to 3,158,307 GEL,” the POG’s statement reads, adding the investigation into the case continues, in order to reveal other offenders too.

Kodua responded to the charges against him in his Facebook post, saying he is the “victim of political persecution.”

“This absurd and falsified case was not a surprise to me,” Kodua says, adding he is sure the country will soon get rid of the government of informal ruler of Georgia, tycoon Bidzina Ivanishvili.

By Thea Morrison