Journalists Are Dubious About the Investigation

The Resonance

(Georgian Press Digest. Civil Georgia. 07.12.01.) – The Interior Ministry claims it arrested person suspected in murdering famous Georgian journalist Giorgi Sanaia on July 26 this year. Sanaia was found shot in his own flat. Flat keys that were lost as well as the cartridge and the registered shotgun were found.

Arrested Grigol Khurtsilava used to serve in the Internal Affairs Ministry till last summer. The Resonance wonders why the Ministry did not check him to hand in the shotgun after being fired.

“If Internal Minister Koba Narchemashvili knew at least a week ago that the investigation was aware of Khurtsilava keeping a gun registered in the law enforcement structure it is worth wondering how he could promote head of the property defense police department Davit Todua on the position of the deputy minister”, the paper says. It considers that in case Sanaia was in deed murdered with a police shotgun Davit Todua should be responsible for it.

The Resonance, as well as other newspapers, is dubious about the truthfulness of the investigation and wonders why Khurtsilava would keep the cartridge, keys and gun in case of him being the murderer.

The paper mostly talks about two versions of Khurtsilava being a suspect: “According to one of the versions, the arrested had big amount of debt and committed murder for paying it back. According to the second version, he might have just said he committed the crime in order to cover loans”.

Since Khurtsilava had quite tight contacts with MPs, the Interior and Security Ministries (he worked for them all) it is possible that the murder might have been ordered, the paper assumes.

It considers if the suspect will try to prove his innocence many people will believe in him for hardly anyone haves faith in the police and the prosecutor’s office.