Georgy Kalatozishvili, Tbilisi. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza
The former defense minister of Georgy Irakly Okruashvili was released on bail and will most probably be found not guilty in all accusations. After it he can return to big politics as a serious opponent of Mikhail Saakashvili.
The judge of the Tbilisi City Court, Zviad Esebua, needed three hours for making a decision on releasing Okruashvili on bail ($9 thousand). He explained the verdict and agreed with the prosecution’s arguments on bail. “Defendant Okruashvili returned to Georgia from France willingly and has no intention to hide from the investigation. Moreover, as most of witnesses have already been interrogated, he cannot influence them during the further proceeding,” Esebua stated. Okruashvili was released immediately in the courtroom. He stepped out of the special area of the room and sat near his lawyer.
The release on bail concerned the accusation of “duty negligence” – buying 63 million useless bullets in 2006 when he was the defense minister. According to the Georgian Criminal Code, the former minister could get 4 years of imprisonment for this. Okruashvili is also accused of two other crimes: bribery from construction companies and establishing illegal militant groups for takeover in May 2011.
However, prosecution decided to disavow these accusations, confessing in absence of evidence. “The so-called evidence in the case of Okruashvili were created by the former authorities. That is why the pro-presidential party is afraid of his release,” the minister of justice Tea Tsulukiani stated ahead of the crucial session.
Officially proceeding on duty negligence will continue. However, few people doubt that Okruashvili will be found not guilty. “We will achieve absolutory sentence in all cases and justice will be served. My client will attend all court sessions, living at home,” the lawyer of Okruashvili, Zviad Kordzadze, told Vestnik Kavkaza.
Release of the strongest rival of President Saakashvili wasn’t a surprise to the majority of experts. However, they believe that the new authorities had no choice. “I know personally about crimes committed by Okruashvili when he took top positions in the government,” the former head of stationery office Paetre Mamradze told Vestnik Kavkaza. “It is not accidental that one of construction companies paid $6 million of bail for his release in 2007. But what should they do if there is no evidence and nobody wants to bear witness against him? It is better to release him than to create fake evidence.”
Others pay attention to the fact that the former defense minister has gained a chance to return to big politics as an important player. “He is very ambitious and charismatic. He will most probably deal with politics and promote himself at the political scene of Georgia,” the independent political scientists Tornike Sharashenidze explains to Vestnik Kavkaza. Okruashvili will state on his future plans after the end of the trial.
