Zurab Zviadauri, a former member of the parliament from Georgian Dream (2012-2016), who has been charged with the first-degree murder of 27-year-old Nika Kenchoshvili, attended a celebratory reception hosted by the government on May 26 on the occasion of Georgia’s Independence Day.
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Despite several inquiries by Georgian News, the government administration did not explain why they invited the former deputy accused of a serious felony to the government event:
Could this be an expression of open support for Zviadauri by the state officials, especially considering that the case is to be handled by a jury trial, and the court has not been able to gather the required number of jurors for almost 20 months.
Lawyers believe that such a move by the authorities can be deemed as an attempt to influence the jury.
The Telavi District Court made an unprecedented decision regarding Zviadauri when after three months of pre-trial detention they released the defendant, who pled not guilty, on bail in the amount of 50,000 GEL, despite the severity of the charges.
According to Judge Mamuka Tsiklauri, there were no longer any risks of influencing the jury. Officially, the prosecutor’s office said that it did not agree with this decision of the court, although it would not be appealed.
Zurab Zviadauri pleads not guilty and says that he acted in self-defense, which is not punishable under Georgian legislation.
Defendant Zviadauri requested his case be ruled by the jury.
The next court session for the selection of the jurors is scheduled for June 16 at 12:00.
In order to free Zviadauri from imprisonment, world champion Avtandil Chrikishvili, Olyplic champion Lasha Bekauri, and a former member of parliament from Georgian Dream Zakaria Kutsnashvili offered personal guarantees to the court.
According to the materials from the prosecutor’s office, 3 people were killed as a result of a shootout in the Tsinandali village forest of the Telavi region on August 16 – Zviad Zviadauri (Zurab Zviadauri’s brother), Vasil Tsotskhalashvili, and Nika Kenchoshvili. Zviad Maisuradze and Anzor Shamrelashvili were wounded.
According to the prosecutor's office, on August 16, 2021, in the Tsinandali village forest of the Telavi region, 3 people were killed as a result of a shooting - Zviad Zviadauri (Zurab Zviadauri's brother), Vasil Tsotskhalashvili, and Nika Kenchoshvili. Zviad Maisuradze and Anzor Shamrelashvili were wounded.
According to the materials of the criminal case, on the so-called Mukhiani territory, around 11 o'clock, Zviad Maisuradze had a confrontation with Vakhtang Kvantaliani, which turned into a fight, in which Zviad Maisuradze crew got involved - Jaba Jangirashvili, Levan Maisuradze, and others.
Shaken up by the fight, Jaba Jangirashvili informed his friend Zviad Zviadauri about the incident and asked him for help. Vakhtang Kvantaliani was summoned by 17:00 to figure out the reason for the fight. At the appointed time, Zviad Zviadauri, Vasil Tsotkhalashvili, Anzor Shamrelashvili, and others arrived at the designated place, and later Zviad Zviadauri's brother Zurab Zviadauri also arrived.
The argument turned into a fight, which resulted in a shootout. Vasil Tsotskhalashvili opened fire from a firearm belonging to Jaba Jangirashvili. As a result of return fire from Nika Kenchoshvili, Vasil Tsotskhalashvili, and Zviad Zviadauri were killed on the spot, and Zviad Maisuradze and Anzor Shamrelashvili were wounded in different parts of their body.
The prosecution charged Zviadauri with Article 108 of the Criminal Code, which involves intentional homicide and carries a prison term of 8 to 15 years.
“Zurab Zviadauri shot at 27-year-old Nika Kenchoshvili out of revenge. Self-defense was ruled out, and that is why he was charged with first-degree murder,” announced the prosecutor of the Kakheti District Prosecutor's Office, Vladimer Bekishvili.
“My son had gone to Tsinandali from Chiatura for work. He did manual labor, and worked in construction, to earn some income. He was not alone there. I know Nika didn't shoot first. Nika was already wounded when he reached for the weapon and tried to defend his friends. My son was acting in self-defense, Zviadauri was not. They told me that Nika was stabbed in the back, they didn't show me my son's body,” says Nana Kenchoshvili, the mother of 27-year-old Nika Kenchoshvili, who was killed in the Tsinandli forest.
