“Former defence minister Bacho Akhalaia’s fabricated story about threatening to arrest his wife and leaving his 13-year-old child orphaned in return for exposing his friends is unacceptable, immoral and a blatant lie,” said the State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG).

According to the SSSG, Akhalaia’s statement serves to distort the truth.

“In fact, following the arrest, the first question our employees asked Akhalaia was if he was the only one who had telephone or online communication with Zodelava, Burchuladze and others, or his wife Ana Nadareishvili as well. Bachana Akhalaia, along with a detailed explanation of the obtained verified data, was clarified that regardless of admission or non-admission of the crime, his wife would be most likely freed from legal responsibility risk.

However, he refused to testify and answer the question, after which, following consultation with the Prosecutor’s Office, a decision was made to release Ana Nadareishvili from detention; the investigation would review her case in the future.

Akhalaia’s statement today, especially amid the aforementioned decision, to portray the actions, complying with high legal and moral standards, of investigative body representatives, only speaks of his personal character, which should be significant in the course of a criminal case,” the SSSG said.

Former defence minister Bacho Akhalaia said during today’s court hearing: “I was told in the SSSG that they would arrest my wife or I exposed Paata Burchuladze and other individuals. I had to admit that I knew about the events, if not participated. My child would be orphaned for 10 years. The one who does that is a terrorist who demanded my testifying against my friends. Those who gave you this task tell him that I will dig them out of the grave.”

Tbilisi City Court decided to imprison former defence minister Bacho Akhalaia as a preventive measure, Judge Meia Melkadze announced.

The Georgian Prosecutor’s Office indicted former Defence Minister Bacho Akhalaia on the charge of supervising and organizing group violence. The charge under Part 1, Article 225 of the Criminal Code of Georgia pertains to up to 9 years in prison as a punishment measure.