Soldier Disappeared Because of Collected Money

Ten days have passed since the soldier disappeared. It is obscure whether the soldier was sacrificed to the collected money. Everybody keeps silence; however the local TV Company spreads information about the disappearance of Daniel Aghlemashvili every day.

“On March 9, Daniel Aghlemashvili left home and never returned,” it is an extract form the announcement that is revealed on Akhlatsikhe Local TV Company, Channel 9. The announcement gives description of the lost person, gives details about his clothes and is enclosed with his photo.

The announcement was brought to the TV Company by the lost person’s father. The later was accompanied by two people. One of them was uncle of Aghlemashvili and another person was, Zaza Maisuradze, an inspector-investigator of the Internal Ministry’s Samtskhe-Javakheti Investigative Department.

Initially, Ioseb Aghlemashvili, the father of the lost person, stated that he had lost his son; however, he did not mention that his son was a soldier. They simply wrote an announcement together with a TV Company employee. Later, in the conversation, it became clear that the boy was a soldier and his disappearance was connected with the collected money.

I was on the second floor of the TV Company Building and was talking with other journalists. One of the operators informed me about the fact. Entering the room, where the father and his companions were, I told them that I represented the Human Rights Centre and offered them my help. At that moment I did not know that one of them was the father of the lost boy. He turned to me and started: “My son has disappeared for already a week. I do not know whether he is alive or dead. He served in the army and they were collecting some money (twenty lari each) there. He had an argument with those people who were collecting the money. It is the only information I have. Since that time I have not seen my son.”

“Who are you?” asked another man and having told him that I was a journalist, the man banned the father to speak with me. “No! No! We are not discussing the incident with journalists,” said Zaza Maisuradze.

Daniel Aghlemashvili is a resident of the village of Udi in the Adigeni District. Neighbors describe him positively and have their own versions regarding the boy’s disappearance.

“He might not be alive, otherwise he would have turned up,” the neighbors are worried. “He was hard working and decent person,” said Marine Chaghiashvili.

Daniel Aghlemashvili was a contractor for the Akhaltsikhe Armor Unit # 3. The fact of Aghlemashvili’s disappearance is proved by the fact that his relatives were accompanied with inspector-investigator. However, the investigative department does not comment on the fact of soldier’s disappearance. We were told at the Military Police Station that the case would be discussed ten days after announcement was submitted. Alexander Maisuradze, the head of the military police department refrained to give any comments regarding the fact.

We found out that that moment there was nobody at Akhaltsikhe Armor Unit # 3 except the person on duty.

Gulo Kokhodze, Akhaltsikhe