Prosecutor's Office Appeals to Court Regarding Nika Melia's Case

The General Prosecutor's Office of Georgia has addressed the Court of Appeal regarding the case of one of the leaders of the United National Movement, Nika Melia.

Reportedly, the trial is scheduled for March 10.

The Prosecutor's Office is appealing the decision of the City Court, according to which the opposition MP was acquitted in one episode of the Cartu Bank's bankruptcy case, while he was found guilty in another episode: abuse of power, was fined GEL 25,000 and was also deprived of the right to hold a public office for 2 years and 3 months.

Melia's lawyer Giorgi Mdinaradze said that the General Prosecutor's Office demands 7 to 10 years of imprisonment for him, adding that the request is unfounded, as the prosecution has no evidence against UNM leader.

Nika Melia was charged in the mentioned case along with former Justice Minister Zurab Adeishvili in 2013. 

The two were accused of abuse of power and hiding property through fraudulent transactions in the case of Cartu Bank.

Adeishvili was sentenced to 5 years and 3 months of imprisonment, as he was found guilty in the case.

Melia says that the case is politically motivated and serves only one goal, to get him out of Parliament.

He describes the case as 'absurd,' noting that 25 people had been charged in the case of Cartu so far, however, after seven years, "the legal proceedings against them were stopped and only he was prosecuted."

By Ana Dumbadze 

Related Story: Former Justice Minister Sentenced to Imprisonment in Cartu Bank Case