TBILISI, DFWatch–The Prosecutor’s Office in Georgia on Friday presented further charges against a former top intelligence official under Saakashvili.
This again puts the spotlight on Data Akhalaia, who served as head of the domestic intelligence service in Georgia, locally called ‘Kudi’, but formally named the Constitutional Security Department, which was one of the most dreaded agencies while Saakashvili was in power.
The new charges are about illegal deprivation of freedom, mistreatment and humiliation in connection with something that happened in September 2005.
Police have already detained the former head of Kudi’s fifth department for involvement in this case. The charges presented today are against Data Akhalaia, former head of Kudi, and Geronty Alania, former head of Kudi’s first department.
Investigators claim that in September 2005, Data Akhalaia called a girl the girlfriend of Vamekh Abulashvili, and a quarrel developed between them over the phone.
Soon after the conversation ended, Valerian Metreveli, a Kudi employee, called Abulashvili and made him to come and meet for made-up reasons. Abulashvili came with his friend Kakhaber Dabrundashvili. Both of them were forced into a car and taken to a cemetery close to the village Okrokana, near Tbilisi, where Data Akhalaia and Geronty Alania and about ten other armed people were waiting.
“With a motive of revenge, Data Akhalaia kicked Vamekh Abulashvili, who was on his knees, in the face with his foot,” investigators claim.
Then Akhalaia and the others beat Abulashvili and Dabrundashvili, after which Akhalaia threatened to kill them, pointing a gun at them and shooting in the air.
Akhalaia again threatened them that if they told others about this incident, they and their family members would be in danger.
Data Akhalaia left Georgia after the National Movement lost power in the parliamentary election in October, 2012, and has not returned. Georgian prosecutors have leveled several charges against him.
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