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Monday, 08.10.2007
Murder accusations against Saakashvili retracted
Tbilisi. Fresh twist in Georgian power struggle: Georgia’s former defence minister Okruashvili has been released on bail of 4 million euros, after he retracted accusations of murder against President Saakashvili.
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At the end of September, Irakli Okruashvili levelled damning accusations at the Georgian leadership around President Saakashvili. He accused Saakashvili and his clan of running the country’s largest companies for their private benefit.
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Contract murders and annexation plans
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He also accused Saakashvili of having orchestrated a whole series of murders, including that of Prime Minister Surab Shvania, who died a bizarre death in 2005. In addition, he said Georgia had been planning an annexation of separatist region South Ossetia, and Saakashvili only backed down at the last minute.
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Georgia’s justice system reacted immediately to these accusations: by arresting the man who made them – Okruashvili. He was duly charged with extortion, money laundering, abuse of office and negligence. The former defence minister is said to have already confessed to his crimes.
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Under interrogation, Okruashvili retracted his accusations
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Deputy State Prosecutor Nikolos Gvaravia said that Okruashvili had retracted his accusations under interrogation. At the same time, pro-government TV station Rustavi 2 showed a video of Okruashvili admitting to interrogators he had only made the accusations in order ‘to discredit Saakashvili’, and had no proof. The State Prosecutor’s Office intends nevertheless to investigate the accusations on grounds of public interest, said Gvaravia.
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Bail of 4 million euros
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Okruashvili’s cooperation with the authorities will be rewarded with freedom, as soon as he gets together the 10 million lari (approx. 4 million euros) in bail they demand. But the case has not been closed, and the ex-minister will still be made to answer for his crimes in court, the State Prosecutor said.
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Whether Saakashvili is out of danger now, remains to be seen. It is more than possible that his former defence minister will go back on the attack as soon as he is free.
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(ab/.rufo/Moskau)
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