Police Detain Another Minor over Khorava Street Stabbing

Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) informs that they have arrested another underage person over the Khorava Street case with charges of false testimony.

“The investigation found out that D.G, who had witnessed a particularly grave crime, deliberately provided incorrect information to the court and gave false testimonies,” the MIA says.

The Khorava Street incident took place in central Tbilisi, during which two teenagers, Davit Saralidze and Levan Dadunashvili, were stabbed to death in a brawl on December 1, 2017.

On May 31, Tbilisi City Court charged two minors – one for the premeditated murder of Dadunashvili and the second for the attempted murder of Saralidze; however, the court could not say who had killed Saralidze, which sparked mass protests in the capital.

Georgia’s Chief Prosecutor Irakli Shotadze resigned amid the protest rallies, while then-Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili ordered a re-investigation of the case as there were many questions left unanswered.

Saralidze’s father, Zaza, asked the authorities to show him concrete results and arrest his son’s killers and all people involved, claiming he will not stop until all the offenders are held responsible.

The MIA says the detained D.G. also met Saralidze’s father after the incident and told him details which the minor then denied during the trial.

The ministry also detained former high ranking official of the Prosecutor’s Office, Mirza Subeliani, and Merab Morchadze on charges of failure to report a crime and exertion of influence on a witness, respectively.

Zaza Saralidze says the detained minor is his son’s friend and was a witness to the crime. The father of the deceased suspects the detained gave false testimony because he was frightened, bribed or misinformed.

“The detainee gave a false testimony to a court and not to the investigation. He shouldn't be the only one punished. Hopefully, these processes will continue and every person who has given false testimony will be revealed,” he stated.

By Thea Morrison

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