Deputy Prosecutor Requests Elizbarashvili to Pay 6 Million Lari with Regard to the Case Launched in 2010

News Agency “Pirveli”, Natia Rukhadze

Businessman Tamaz Elizbarashvili alleged that Tbilisi deputy prosecutor Besik Tkhelidze demanded him to pay 6 million lari with regard to the case that was launched in 2010.

Elizbarashvili and his lawyer Elza Jmukhadze made the statement in the press-club of the Prime-Time.

Lawyer said Tamaz Elizbarashvili was called from the city prosecutor’s office and as they later clarified he was called based on Besik Tkhelidze’s order who claimed that unless Elizbarashvili pays 6 million lari, he would go back to prison.

“We request the prosecutor’s office to bring witnesses to the court because the process has been postponed for the eighth time because witnesses did not appear to the court. We met Tbilisi prosecutor Davit Kochlamazashvili before Mtsariashvili replaced him. Besik Tkhelidze lustrated himself in the prosecutor’s working room and started to justify his illicit actions. He had requested the money without having agreed the issue with the chief prosecutor Kbilashvili. Tkhelidze is old employee of the system and he still works with old methods that he was used to during Adeishvili’s time,” Jmukhadze said.

He added that Elizbarashvili does not protest against new administration of the prosecutor’s office; he protests activities of prosecutors remained from Adeishvili’s time.

Elizbarashvili said in 2010 he, his daughter-in-law, 24, her father and friend were arrested.

“It happened because of my political activities. They fabricated the charge against me as if I had paid bribe and falsified the conclusion. Unless I admitted it, they threatened me with placing my 24-year-old daughter-in-law in prison, with raping her, etc. They also threatened me about my son, who was in prison. So, I had to admit it. Afterwards, they started bargaining with me. Initially they demanded 10 million lari from me; now Besik Tkhelidze demanded 6 million lari to finally close this case against me,” Elizbarashvili said.