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Witnesses Interrogated in Kezerashvili’s Case Spoke about Criminal Scheme

April 24, 2013
Salome Chkheidze

Two main witnesses were interrogated at the trial on former defense minister and former head of Financial Police Davit Kezerashvili. Both witnesses were charged under the same crime and prosecutor’s office had signed plea-agreements with them. The witnesses spoke about criminal scheme according to which Kezerashvili earned huge sums through avoiding payment of state taxes.

The trial on Davit Kezerashvili and other accused in the same case was renewed on April 23. Two directors of the Gurjaani Factory of Alcohol Drinks were interrogated at the trial; they also were charged under the same crime but have already signed plea-agreement with the prosecutor’s office. The witnesses said that their company imported substance – Melas from Azerbaijan and then they produced ethyl spirit from it; afterwards, based on the agreement with Kazakh Company, the spirit was exported to Kazakhstan. According to case materials, the cargo was going through custom control but in fact it remained in Georgia. 

“Initially I did not know what was going on; later I learned from our drivers that they were transporting the ethyl spirit to Ltd Napareuli, in Vaziani, Tbilisi instead Azerbaijan. I personally had no connection with it and do not know who received the spirit; however, we produced about 200 tons of ethyl spirit per month,” Karlo Chakvetadze said.

Prosecutor asked whether he knew the difference between the cargoes imported through production and delivered through import regime and the witness clarified that good delivered through production shall be sent abroad again whilst the imported goods remain in the country. He also clarified that since the cargo used to leave Georgian territory according to official documents, it in fact remained here; so, all documents prepared about ethyl spirit in the company were fraud.

Second witness of the prosecutor’s side also proved the statement of the first witness. He clarified that they had no personal contact with the representatives of Kazakh Company and they contacted only authoritative representative of the company when signing the agreement.

The witness did not have information about the procedures how the cargo was remained in Georgia though it had to go through custom control. 

“”We checked information about ethyl spirit on the website of the Ministry of Finance several times. We saw declarations were closed that means the cargo had left Georgian territory. Accused Nika Davitashvili is my friend and I learned from him that Davit Kezerashvili was owner of our company. When decisions were to be made, Davitashvili was agreeing the issues with certain person, supposedly it was Kezerashvili. Once we faced some problems when getting large amount of Melasa from Azerbaijan and Davitashvili told me Kezerashvili would resolve this problem; and indeed everything was settled in two days,” said director of the Gurjaani Alcohol Factory at the process.

Prosecutor asked what was the benefit from sending the cargo through custom control but leave it in Georgia and the witness clarified that if ethyl spirit was distributed within the country, the company had to pay excise and VAT payments, but if it was exported, the cargo was free of all duties.

Prosecutor’s side was asking witnesses about factual circumstances of the case while the defense side focused on the fact that both witnesses were charged under the same crime and had signed plea-agreement with the prosecutor’s office.

The prosecutor underlined that the witnesses had caused more than 1 million lari damage to the state and only 2 000 lari plea-agreement was signed with them.  The prosecutor asked the witness whether any kind of monetary sanction was imposed on their company for the disputable case and the witness said the Tax Police had imposed huge fine on the company.

Mentioning the names of Zurab Adeishvili (former minister of justice) and Petre Tsiskarishvili (a leader of the United National Movement) attracted particular attention of audience during the court hearing. The witness said that according to his information those two persons also backed the business of alcohol drinks. When defense side was questioning the witness, the latter clarified that he did not hold arguments to prove his allegation though he had heard about it.

“Neither Kezerashvili confirmed with me that Napareuli belonged to him. I was not in Azerbaijan to hear negotiations between Kezerashvili and Azerbaijan company representatives when our problem was resolved within two days but I definitely know that I am right and Davit Kezerashvili supported our business. Accused Meri Janashvili had also told us several times that Kezerashvili was her brother-in-law and we would never face problems,” the witness stated in the courtroom.

Kezerashvili is accused of accepting bribe and membership of illicit organized group. The accused is sought now. 

Next trial on the case was scheduled on May 1, 2013.

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