Former investigator in high-profile IT professional’s case of death admits giving “fake testimony”

Sergo Shubitidze, a former investigator in a high-profile case of death of Tamar Bachaliashvili, a 23-year-old IT professional who was found dead in her car in 2020, on Monday admitted giving a “fake testimony”, following his interview with a domestic Formula channel this year, where he pointed to flaws and alleged violations during the investigation. 

Shubitidze’s lawyer rejected claims of alleged pressure on the defendant, adding the suspect had “wrongly indicated at a telephone” he earlier said belonged to Bachaliashvili and reportedly contained the data that later disappeared. 

Bachaliashvili went missing on July 18, 2020. After a four-day search, on July 22, her body was found in her car parked in an uninhabited place, a few tens of meters from the road, in Tetritskaro municipality. 

According to the official version, Bachaliashvili committed suicide. However, her family challenges the version and claims she was killed due to the data she had dealt with. 

Shubitidze was arrested on Sunday.