TBILISI, DFWatch – A businessman in Georgia who is in prison and said he was framed by the Saakashvili regime has been pardoned by Saakashvili himself.

The founder of Georgia’s largest electronics chain was serving an eigth year prison sentence in connection with an unresolved money claim.

Anzor Kokoladze said he was a victim of illegal deprivation of property. He claimed that government officials had conspired with a judge, city officials, the prosecutor, TBC Bank, and the revenue service.

On May 26, Georgia’s Independence Day, President Mikheil Saakashvili pardoned about 70 prisoners, and Kokoladze was among them.

The businessman told journalists that the decision was unexpected. He says he was pardoned on request of Patriarch Ilia II.

Tbilisi City Court sentenced him to eight years in jail. He had served two years.

About month ago Kokoladze published an open letter telling his story and what he considers illegalalities conducted against him.

It started when his company Elit Electronics was charged USD 7 million. Kokoladze says TBC Bank, which was creditor and had mortgaged 55 per cent of the company, used the claim to gain management rights over the company. When the chain violated a payment schedule by failing to pay 5 000 lari by the required time, TBC Bank appropriated the 55 per cent share for 116 000 lari. The founder was arrested and sentenced to about eight years in jail.

30 percent is owned by Bank Republic and the rest fifteen percent was sold on auction, which ended the deprivation process. (https://dfwatch.net/as-elit-electronics-takeover-is-completed-ex-owner-fights-on-32280 )

He blames the prosecutor’s office of having made a deal with TBC Bank.

Recently Anzor Kokoladze was charged of another accusation for money laundering, together with three employees of his founded company, but on the last trial in Tbilisi City Court Kokoladze’s case was separated from the others.

He is now charged of 5 000 GEL for the last conviction.