Verbal clashes erupt during witness interrogation at Saakashvili's trial

13:30, 18.03.2024

During the trial of the Georgian ex-President, Mikheil Saakashvili, in connection with the alleged embezzlement of budget funds, a witness for the defence, Simon Nozadze, an acting advisor to the head of the Special State Protection Service, was interrogated amidst tension and verbal disputes.

The verbal clashes occurred between Judge Badri Kochlamazashvili and lawyer Beka Basilaia, prompted by Basilaia’s questions to the witness, which the prosecution objected to on the irrelevance grounds.

Basilaia attempted to elicit testimony from the witness regarding the spending of budget funds after the change of government in October 2012 but was unsuccessful in obtaining the desired answers. The witness claimed that the issues were beyond his area of expertise.

The lawyer brought up expenses totalling half a million, allegedly charged to the account of an individual named Valerian Kiladze from the budget of the Special State Protection Service starting from March 2013. However, the witness asserted that he had no official involvement with the matter.

By - Tamar Tabatadze

Justice/Crime

Beka Basilaia

Mikheil Saakashvili

trial