Abkhaz Ex-Interior Minister ‘Kills Himself to Avoid Arrest’

Former interior minister of breakaway Abkhazia, Almazbei Kchach, has committed suicide to avoid being arrested over an alleged links to an assassination attempt against Abkhaz leader Alexander Ankvab in February, Abkhaz news agency, Apsnipress, reported.

Kchach shot himself in his house in Gagra after the law enforcement officers arrived to arrest him on April 17, according to reports from Abkhazia.

Law enforcement agencies "possess evidence proving his involvement" in an attempt on Ankvab’s life in February, when the Abkhaz leader’s motorcade was attacked in which two of his bodyguards died, Apsnipress reported.

Four men suspected in connection to the assassination attempt were arrested in Abkhazia last week.

Kchach, 53, was the breakaway region’s interior minister in 1996-2003 and then served as secretary of national security council till 2005. Kchach was a vice-presidential running mate of presidential candidate Beslan Butba in 2009 election.