Lawyer: ex-Minister of Defence Okruashvili is not guilty of purchasing cartridges unfit for shooting

During the trial on January, 15, on the case of purchasing cartridges unfit for use by the Armed Forces of Georgia, Zviad Kordzadze, attorney of ex-Minister of Defence Irakli Okruashvili, stated the absence of evidence of his client’s guilt.

All in all, in 2006 the Ministry of Defence purchased 63 million cartridges unfit for use, “Vestnik Kavkaza” reports. The case was initiated according to clause “Service negligence” (clause 324 of the Criminal Code of Georgia) stipulating penalty in form of a fine or arrest of up to a six-months’ term or imprisonment of up to two years.

On January, 15, representative of Juridical Committee of the Ministry of Defence of Georgia Giorgi Tsabadze was interrogated. “He was unable to give a comprehensible answer to any of my questions. Neither Public Prosecutor’s office nor the sufferers’ party could explain what Okruashvili’s role in this case was”, attorney Zviad Kordzadze declared.

He reminded that Irakli Okruashvili left the office of Minister of Defence of Georgia on November, 10, 2006, while the batch of cartridges unfit for use was purchased on December, 6, 2006.

Representatives of the prosecution did not comment on the process.