Tbilisi, Georgia, Dec. 4
By Nana Kirtzkhalia - Trend:
The appeals court of the Georgian capital of Tbilisi has upheld the acquittal of the former Defense Minister, Bacho Akhalaia.
Akhalaia's case included the charges involving torture against soldiers and David Abesadze's illegal imprisonment. Tbilisi City Court acquitted Bacho Akhalaia and seven of his former employees.
But the Tbilisi Appeal Court banned the former chief of the Georgian Armed Forces Joint Staff, Giorgi Kalandadze from occupying any senior government position for three months.
Two other defendants - Alexandre Gorgadze and Zurab Shamatava, who were the accessories in this case, were arrested in the courtroom. The court sentenced them to three years and nine months of imprisonment.
Other accessories in the case, namely Manuchar Daraselia and Giorgi Kintsurashvili are hiding from the investigation.