Georgia: ex-director of Gldani Prison No. 8 to be accused in absentia

Alexander Mukhadze, the former director of Gldani Prison No. 8, a figurant in the case of the death of Colonel Sergo Tetradze, suspected in espionage, who has left the country, will be charged in absentia.

The case was stopped on December 31, 2011 for absence of crime attributes; however, later, based on applications of former employees of Prison No. 8, on November 14 the Prosecutor's Office cancelled the suspension of the case.

As reported by the press service of the Ministry of Justice of Georgia, on November 14 the anticorruption department of the General Prosecutor's Office of Georgia began the inquiry into the criminal case initiated under the articles of abuse of power and driving to death by inadvertency.

In particular, the materials of the closed case ran that on September 19, 2011, Tetradze was convicted to imprisonment and on the same day put in Gldani Prison No. 8. In the evening on September 23 he felt bad, and the prison administration called a doctor. By the moment of the latter's arrival, Tetradze fainted; that is why he was delivered to the medical institution, where he soon died.

According to the forensic-medical examination, Tetradze's death was caused by acute cardiac insufficiency that was a result of his ischemic heart disease. Various traumas were fixed on his body; however, the case files indicated that he had received them prior to detention.

"The facts provided in the examination report are lies," said the Prosecutor's Office and explained that a number of interrogations had been held under the case, and witnesses had allegedly evidenced that several days before Tetradze's death, Alexander Mukhadze, in violation of the law, took him out of the prison in a car driven by himself, and brought him back some 4-5 hours later, The witnesses added that the inmate could hardly get out of the car and moved with difficulties.