megis kardava

(Interpressnews.)

TBILISI, DFWatch–A former government official charged in the case of Sergo Tetradze’s murder, was on Friday sentenced to nine years in jail by the Appeals Court of Georgia.

Megis Kardava, who held the post of deputy at the military police department, was found guilty of violating sections 144 and 138 of the Criminal Code about sexual violence and torture, and sentenced to 12 years in jail, but in accordance with the amnesty passed by the new government in early 2013, his sentence was reduced by a quarter to nine years.

Colonel Sergo Tetradze was detained on September 19, 2011 and accused of spying. September 25, he died.

According to the official version he died of a heart attack, but the case remained controversial, and caused suspicions that it in fact it was a murder.

The new government reopened the investigation and pressed charges against a number of former officials, including Bacho Akhalaia, Saakashvili’s close ally who was prison minister, interior minister and defense minister at different times.

Megis Kardava is subject to an Interpol Red Notice, the closest there is to an international search warrant, on charges that include exceeding official power, humiliation of a person, torture, sexual abuse and violence, illegal imprisonment and other violations.