Okruashvili Wants to Testify against President

Ex-Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili is prepared to officially give testimony in relation to the allegations he had levelled against President Saakashvili, Okruashvili?s lawyer and a member of his party, Eka Beselia, said on October 5.

Beselia said that she had already sent an official letter to the chief prosecutor, Zurab Adeishvili, notifying him of her client?s willingness.

?Okruashvili is ready to testify in order to give a legal form to all the allegations he was talking about,? Beselia told reporters. 

On September 25 Irakli Okruashvili said that President Saakashvili had personally ordered him ?to get rid of Badri Patarkatsishvili,? a business tycoon; he also questioned the official version of PM Zurab Zhvania?s death, saying that Zhvania?s corpse had actually been brought into the flat where it was apparently discovered.

Okruashvili was arrested on September 27 and charged with large-scale bribery through extortion, money laundering, misuse of power and negligence while serving as Defense Minister. Okruashvili, however, denies the allegations and claims to be a political prisoner.

Meanwhile, the Georgian economy minister, Giorgi Arveladze, entered the fray with his first comments about Okruashvili?s arrest on October 5. ?Nobody is untouchable,? he said, and ?everyone will be held responsible for their wrongdoings.?

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)