Court Comes Down Hard on Officer Who Shot Vake Woman

Tbilisi Prosecutor's Office has charged S.G., a police officer who was arrested yesterday on charges of negligent manslaughter, with premeditated murder. The punishment envisages up to fifteen years in prison.

The investigation established that S.G., who was under the influence of alcohol, fired a gun into the air from the balcony of his apartment. The bullet hit T.A., a resident of a nearby building, resulting in her death. 

The deceased is the mother of Georgian singer Tika Mahaldiani.

S.G. was initially detained under Article 116 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which concerns negligent manslaughter and is punishable by two to four years in prison. But the charges have been reclassified in light of the new evidence. 

The Prosecutor’s Office reported: “Dozens of investigative and procedural activities were carried out. 13 bullets and a Viking pistol were seized from the police officer’s house. Numerous people were interviewed as witnesses. The Prosecutor's Office will apply to the court within the timeframe established by law to request detention as a measure of restraint for the accused. The charges brought against S.G. stem from the Article 108 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which envisages imprisonment for seven to fifteen years”.

By Elene Dzebisashvili