Will The Court Be Impartial?

Will The Court Be Impartial?

Since December 10th 2005, Jumber Darchiashvili, former Deputy of the Acting Governor in the Telavi Region has been in prison. Darchiashvili has been accused of abusing his power whilst holding a position as head of the Culture Department in the Telavi region and also of spending state money from 1997 to 2003. Darchiashvili’s lawyer argues that the Prosecutor’s Office is deliberately complicating the case. Darchiashvili’s wife says that if her husband is not released, the family will renounce Georgian citizenship and seek political asylum.

Lia Tsabutashvili, Jumber Darchiashvili’s wife, points out that at first the Prosecutor’s Office only charged him with spending 17,000 laris in 2003. When the lawyer and Darchiashvili’s family agreed to pay the bail, the Prosecutors Office suddenly became interested in what happened during the previous years. Darchiashvili was then sued for spending an increased sum of 200,000 laris. 

Darchiashvili’s family believes his arrest has been orchestrated by those who want to get their hands on the Agricultural Market. “Jabrail Khangoshvili has been trying to get the market under his control for many years. He arranged the arrest of my son with the government. He believes that through these methods he will be able to take the market into his possession”, says Jumber Darchiashvili’s father.

It should also be mentioned that another former head of the Culture Department, David Gaganidze, was released on bail for 10,000 laris. The family is willing even to pay 50,000 laris in order to get Darchiashvili to be let out on bail as well.

Maia Kanadashvili, Jumber Darchashvili’s lawyer, regards the accusations against her client as groundless. “Jumber Darchiashvili can only be blamed for being indifferent towards his job and that is not a significant crime.  I reckon the Prosecutor’s Office is not being impartial in this case”, states Kanadashvili.

The lawyer also doubts the objectivity of the court. She states that the court cannot oppose the Prosecutor’s Office, thus the court must be subjective.

Investigator Zurab Javakhishvili refutes the idea that the court is being pressured. “The court has been considering only organizational issues so far. The essential trials will be started on May 11th. It will study everything in detail and come to the proper conclusions”, says Javakhishvili.

Darchiashvili’s medical condition has deteriorated recently and his stay in prison might cause significant damage to his health.

“Darchashvili’s lawyer and family should supply the court with sufficient documents, proving the poor state of Darchiashvili’s health and ask for his release. I believe the court will take Darchiashvili’s health into consideration”, explains Javakhishvili, the investigator.  

Veriko Kobiashvili from Telavi