Sandro Bregadze under Preliminary Arrest

Interpressnews

After being convicted for hooliganism, Tbilisi City Court Judge Giorgi Arevadze imposes preliminary arrest as a compulsory measure for former MP Sandro Bregadze.
 
The judge satisfied a request by the Vake-Saburtalo Regional Prosecutor Maia Silagadze to impose arrest as a compulsory measure. Arevadze denied the request of Sandro Bregadze’s lawyers to impose 3000 GEL bail as a compulsory measure.

Bregadze’s lawyers explained the circumstances that gave rise to their argument for the use of a non-detainment compulsory measure.

According to Dali Imnaishvili, one of the lawyers representing Bregadze, the 17-year-old son of Sandro Bregadze is severely disabled. He is feeble and cannot live without his father. Since Sandro Bregadze’s detainment, he has fainted 34 times. According to the lawyer, Sandro Bregadze’s detainment has also affected his other child who was sitting in his father’s car while he was being detained. The child needs a logopedist’s help as he started stumbling. He is in a severe state. According to the lawyer’s explanation, Sandro Bregadze’s father who is fighting leukemia is also in a severe state. The lawyer argues that Sandro Bregadze is the only bread-winner in the family. Considering these factors and the fact that he (Bergadze) admits to his crime and has cooperated with the investigation, it was possible to impose bail as a compulsory measure.

According to Sandro Bregadze, if he wanted to hide, he would have hidden after the incident. He had been home for a day and never tried to evade the authorities, though he could have easily fled to a European country.

According to the former MP, he admits his crime and promises that he will cooperate with  the investigation, including appearing in front of the court on the first summons and refraining from pressuring the witnesses.

“The argument of the investigation that I am flight risk is lacking grounds. I have an injury to my face as a result of the incident. I have information that the operator of the petrol station who participated in the incident received no injuries. This was a misunderstanding between two individuals. The employee of the petrol station has no complaints against me, therefore I cannot pressure him. I am not going to hide or run away. If something happens to my son because of this, I do not want to come out of prison at all,” – stated Sandro Bregadze.

Prosecutor Maia Silagadze did not consider the argument of the defense side and maintained her position.

The prosecutor stated that Bregadze was convicted of a serious crime and in the face of a possible sentence there is the chance that he will hide from the investigation. He might pressure the witnesses if he is free. According to the prosecutor, the negotiations have not been conducted on the plea bargain yet.

The lawyers state that they are not going to submit a complaint against Arevadze’s decision and will make a request for a plea bargain to the Office of the Prosecutor.

Pre-trial session was held on March 28th.

According to the investigation, the case concerns the crime envisaged by the third paragraph of Article 239 (hooliganism using a gun). The crime occurred on February 17th, 15:20, on the property of Wissol petrol station at Vazha Pshavela #27.

According to the accusation, Bregadze tore off the petrol nozzle of one of the pumps at the petrol station. Then he damaged the shield of his own car and physically assaulted the petrol station operator Giorgi Galustashvili. He also beat him with his gun in the head. The incident lasted 8-9 minutes. The incident caused a traffic jam and violated public order. People were not able to get petrol during this incident.

According to the prosecutor, Bregadze’s crime is confirmed by numerous witness testimonies and other evidence.