Murder Because of Violence

Gela Mtivlishvili, Kakheti

“My father-in-law and I were drinking wine after what we had quarrel. I led him into another room, where I hit him; he fell on the bed and fainted. Then I hit axe in his head,” it is confession of 27-year-old Zviad Sibashvili which was screened by the MIA. The suspect faces imprisonment for 17 years.

The accident occurred in Vejini village in Gurjaani district on March 29. According to the MIA, Zviad Sibashvili deadly wounded Ivane Beruashvili, born in 1967, with sharp subject in the head; Beruashvili died on the scene of accident.

The neighbors of the suspect allege Zviad Sibashvili got married several years ago. His parents-in-law often visited them from Kareli district; they used to stay at Sibashvili’s house for several months. His name was Vano and intimidated Zviad all the time. Sometimes, he even beat him. When Zviad resisted their intimidation, his wife threatened him with divorce and leaving their children. Zviad was seriously concerned about it,” said the neighbor of the suspect Lia Mukhulishvili.

After the murder, Zviad went to her house and asked to call police. “He came to my house early in the morning and told me he had killed a man. He asked us to call police because he was going to give in at the police. I could not believe him but he insisted that he had really killed a man,” said Lia Mukhulishvili.

Mariam Zavrashvili, the neighbor: “When I entered the shop, there were a lot of people gathered. Zviad was crying and asking us to call police because he had killed a man. He had to kill him… last year, his father-in-law beat him so ruthlessly that Zviad had to sleep at his neighbor’s house for several days; they did not allow him into his own house. They often had conflict. The father-in-law used to kick him out of his house. They wanted to seize Zviad’s house.”

Tamar Mtivlishvili, the neighbor: “Since he got married, their family has not lived peacefully. They used to visit them and intimidated the young man; they often kicked him out of the house and sold everything from his house; Zviad’s family had good house but now there are only walls in it. The wife often requested him to leave them alone in his house. They wanted to kick the boy out and stay in his house.”

Vardiko Sibashvili, the neighbor: “Zviad was orphan. When he got married, the family of his father-in-law moved to his house. They permanently argued; the father-in-law and his family did not leave Zviad’s house and tortured him for a long time. Zviad used to call my son and asked him for help. When my son was entering their house, Zviad’s father-in-law used to hide. I often suggested Zviad to be careful with those people but he was afraid of his father-in-law. Vano was threatening him with murder and he used to beat him after they got drunk. The wife was threatening him with divorce. Zviad did not want to split family; he was growing children up and did not want his children to live without mother.  Finally, he could not stand similar oppression and accidentally killed the man. When they were drunk, the father-in-law used to threaten him with death unless he left the house. So, it was the reason of their last quarrel and Zviad killed him.”

After the murder, Zviad’s wife and her mother, the widow, have not appeared in Vejini village. Zviad’s uncle is taking care of Zviad Sibashvili’s two underage children.

Telavi District Court sent Zviad Sibashvili to pretrial detention. Kakheti regional office of the Chief Prosecutor is investigating the criminal case.