Defendant in Zurab Zhvaniya's death case claims protraction

Trials in the cases against Levan Chachua, Mikhail Dzadzamiya, and Koba Kharshiladze, who are accused of negligence in connection with the case on the death of Zurab Zhvaniya, the former Prime Minister, have been postponed at the request of the Prosecutor's Office. According to Koba Kharshiladze and an advocate of Levan Chachua, prosecutors deliberately delay the trial, since they have not enough evidence.

The cases against three defendants are separated into several proceedings: the case against Koba Kharshiladze and Mikhail Dzadzamiya, who were the guards of Zurab Zhvaniya, and the case against Levan Chachua, a forensic expert, who, according to investigators, was negligent while preparing his medical report, the "Georgia-Online" reports.

On September 22, the court held two hearings: the preliminary court hearing on the episode with Levan Chachua and the regular consideration of the case against Mikhail Dzadzamiya and Koba Kharshiladze. At the first court hearing, the defence stated unfounded prosecution of the forensic expert. The court dismissed the first motion. After that, prosecutors asked the court for time to think over the case, and the court hearing was postponed.

The court has pronounced the decision to postpone the trial till September 30. The defendants were displeased by the postponement. Koba Kharshiladze claimed that prosecutors do it because of lack of evidence. In his turn, Georgy Zhvaniya, a brother of the late Prime Minister, said that prosecutors are doing their best to get duly prepared for such a resonant trial.