Court Finds Ex-ministers Guilty of Abuse of Power

Tbilisi City Court has found former Minister of Justice Zurab Adeishvili and ex-Minister of Internal Affairs Ivane Merabishvili guilty of illegal confiscation of Akura Wine Factory, located in Telavi Municipality, Kakheti region.

The court stated that ex-ministers exceeded their official powers and established, that under organization of Ivane Merabishvili and Zurab Adeeishvili, citizens – Teimuraz Megrelishvili and Nodar Modebadze were forced to give up Akura Wine Factory in July 2014, which they had purchased after they took out a 2.6 million lari bank loan.

By the decision of Tbilisi City Court, Ivane Merabishvili was sentenced to deprivation of liberty for a term of 3 years, which has been reduced to deprivation of liberty for a term of 2 years and 3 months, since Georgian Law on Amnesty was applied.

Zurab Adeishvili was sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 2 years and after applying Georgian Law on Amnesty, he has ultimately been sentenced to deprivation of liberty for a term of a year and 6 months.

As an additional penalty, both former officials have been deprived of the right to hold any official positions for a year and 6 months.

Adeishvili was sentenced in absentia as he has been in hiding since he was charged for abuse of power with excessive use of violence, inhumane treatment, provoking a crime and fabricating evidence in several other separate cases as well.

However, Merabishvili is already in prison, serving his sentence for other crimes.

The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia says that illegally confiscated Akura Wine Factory will be returned to the previous owners.

Adeishvili’s lawyer, Davit Kakoishvili says that the court's decision is politically motivated and the evidence presented by the prosecutors to the court could not prove the guilt of his client.

Merabishvili’s lawyer has not made any comments over the issue.

By Thea Morrison