Scandalous interview with former head of criminal police

Passions around 19-year-old Amiran (Buta) Robakidze’s case don’t fade. The pother was especially caused several days ago by the circulation of video recording that was handed to the investigation and journalists by Irakli Pirtskhalava. According to independent experts’ assertion it is seen by unaided eye that the video is edited. Guram Donadze, former head of Interior Ministry Public Affairs Department started speaking about his being innocent and what’s more important, after spreading these shots the interrogated law enforcers change evidences trying to prove that Buta’s friends were armed. Viewing of the film turned up to be especially shocking for Buta Robakidze’s parents.
Ia Metreveli: - People have seen once again what executioners we dealt with. Instead of giving aid to the wounded child you have seen how they were posing in front of video cameras. What is the expert examination needed for when it is obvious that the tape is edited? They overlooked many inaccuracies. In the first tape the grenade and masks are clearly seen, no voice is heard. They cut whatever they didn’t need and added something else. I don’t understand, why have I to justify myself, what do I need it for? I’m baffled why are the culprits still free?
Q. – Do you demand Irakli Okruashvili, then-Interior-Minister to be held responsible too?
A. - If he has nothing on his conscience then he too like other high officials involved in this case must be held responsible.
It isn’t known yet whether the shots made on the spot by cameraman Zurab Vatsadze in which, according to journalist Gocha Mukbaniani, shooting is fixed, are destroyed or not. Mukbaniani assures us that Guram Donadze took the shots from them. He asserts that Donadze threatened to kill him if he made this fact public.
One more man who proves that the boys were innocent is Zurab Bakradze. He was head of Tbilisi Criminal Police and has the status of accused in this case. Though other persons accused: Guram Donadze, Zurab Mikadze, Irakli Iashvili and Irakli Pirtskhalava were released on bail, Pataridze was kept in prison. According to the investigation Bakradze, together with Mikadze took weapon to the place of accident. At present he is wanted, he isn’t in Georgia.
Here is an exclusive interview with Zurab Bakradze: - Zurab Mikadze will again change his evidence for several times. He is bargaining, trying to somehow be out of this case. As for the tape that was spread, it really exists but, believe me, it was shot after about 50 minutes from the accident. This tape has no connection with the reality.
Q. – Mr. Zurab, do you confirm that the weapon shown on tape was planted?
A. – I declare with full responsibility that none of the boys had weapon. Every weapon was brought there by Zurab Mikadze in person. I declare myself guilty only in one thing – having known all this for 9 years I hadn’t declared about it. For this I apologize to Buta Robakidze’s parents and society.
Q. – Why did you keep silence for so long?
A. – In case I said about it in 2004 I would be a prisoner for these 9 years and have to serve several years more, who knows. Shouts – stand up, lie down, who has weapon - are quite well heard in the tape and at that time I appear. I came there together with Levan Gvazava, Irakli Pirtskhalava and Irakli Iashvili, when everything was arranged and Buta already dead. Believe me, if he were alive we wouldn’t wait for emergency aid, we’d take him to the hospital.
Q. – Is the tape edited?
A. – Different episodes are mixed so it’s edited.
Q. – You are wanted by the police. At the beginning you were saying that you would by all means arrive in Georgia. Why did you avoid investigation?
A. – I knew the situation would be messy and for this reason I refrained. They handed subpoena to my brother at 4 o’clock and at 6 I already was accused. Believe me I couldn’t arrive in Georgia in 2 hours. I don’t consider myself guilty. I can’t agree to the comments that are spread in connection with Irakli Pirtskhalava; I think he was used, they gave the tape to him and he made it public.
I want to ask Levan Gvazava, he may remember how we drove to the place of accident in his official vehicle. I’m sure he’ll say the truth. Together with Gvazava I, Iashvili and Pirtskhalava were in the restaurant when he received a call and was told about every thing that had happened. When we came there everything was set. Why don’t the investigation want to consider declaration of Sarishvili, who was on duty and who says that Mikadze took the weapon. He was recently transferred to Patrol Police from the post of Head of Vake-Saburtalo Administrative Police. He could easily take weapon from there.
It will be difficult for me to return to Georgia. As you know my passport won’t be valid because I’m wanted. I’ll be detained at very first border. Court trial is scheduled for 27 March and I’ll decide how to act. By that time I may even return.
One more person who speaks about falsification of the case is Shalva Nikabadze, the investigator. According to him assignments were given directly by Zurab Adeishvili, former Minister of Justice.
Shalva Nikabadze: - I happened to be at the place of accident when Zurab Mikadze and Guram Donadze were planting weapon and ammunition to the detained. It was Donadze who was deciding what weapon to plant to whom. Before my eyes he ordered the patrol-inspector to taka a submachine gun and put it in the front part inside of the car. It was fixed in the report that allegedly a machine gun was found in the car. I saw how a hand grenade was planted to Barkaia. His trouser-pocked turned up to be torn and the grenade fell down. It caused panic; then it was thrust into his belt, as if it was there from the beginning.
Q. – You were looking at all this but what did you do as an investigator?
A. – I contacted Irakli Tsereteli, my chief and told him everything. He told me to investigate the corpse, as for the detained, police would look to it. I carried out my chief’s instruction. The demonstrated tape doesn’t show the reality. I think it was shot some time after the accident.
According to Mikadze’s lawyer he came to the place in about 20 minutes but he features in the tape. While investigating the case I went to the emergency; it is fixed there that the ambulance arrived there in 3 minutes. The tape shows no car; this once again proves that the tape was shot later.
Q. – The tape shows that Maizer Liparteliani is calling the emergency.
A. – This is staged too. At that moment Maaizer Liparteliani was not there and he didn’t call emergency.
Q. – According to what clause was the suit filed initially?
A. – Illegal purchase and keeping of weapon.
Q. – When you already knew that the weapon was planted, why did you file suit according to that article; if it was an order didn’t you attempt to oppose it?
A. – Such issues were solved at the level of General Prosecutor Zurab Adeishvili and City Prosecutor Giorgi Gviniashvili; it was their order and threat too. On the third day when the detained boys were released right from the court hall by judge Nino Sharadze, before returning to prosecutor’s office from the trials, the district prosecutor told me: Adeishvili in person talked to me, hearing is appointed tomorrow at 10 o’clock in the morning, we are protesting this decision and in case even one out of released five boys doesn’t come we have an order to arrest you and the judge. Isn’t this pressure?
Once there was such a case – I and the district prosecutor were in Zurab Adeishvili’s office and it was said that the Patrol Police was an organization set up by the President and it hadn’t to be slandered and he believed that the Patrol Police inspectors wouldn’t lie so we had to follow their evidence. I didn’t utter a word but all that was said for my ears to hear. All this was staged in order not to slander the image of Patrol Police. What could I do? After one year I was sacked. Allegedly Adeishvili said that he didn’t need Nikabadze because I was uncontrollable. Officially I was transferred to Interior Ministry due to reforms; I worked there till 2009 and then I left the job on my will. The case was assigned to somebody else.
Q. Did you interrogate Guram Donadze?
A. – How could I interrogate him? Don’t forget, it was 2004. This accident took place 10 days earlier. I had information that assassination was recorded. Donadze refused to show me the tape and I informed Irakli Tsereteli. He too wanted to see it and contacted Gviniashvili. Then Gviniashvili called and told me to quickly go to Interior Ministry to take the cassette, my pass was already ordered. When I came there Donadze said that the cassette was accidentally deleted. Journalist Maka Razmadze witnessed this.
Q. – Cameraman Zurab Vatsadze’s evidence is interesting; Didn’t you interrogate him?
A. – Yes, I did. He said he switched on the camera as soon as he approached the place of accident. He doesn’t remember whether the moment of killing is recorded or not but the sound of shooting was heard. After returning, Donadze took the cassette. Who would allow me to interrogate Donadze?