Two charged for concealing crime in ex-president Saakashvili’s case

Shalva and Zurab Tsotsoria, father and his son from western Samegrelo region, have been charged with concealing crime in the case involving ex-president of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili. 

The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia says that on September 29, when Saakashvili ‘illegally crossed into Georgia from Ukraine,’ the individuals ensured his transportation to one of the villages in Samegrelo. 

They say that from the village, Saakashvili moved to Tbilisi. 

The Prosecutor’s Office said that the detainees were aware Saakashvili was convicted and wanted by Georgian law enforcers. 

Saakashvili, who is now a citizen of Ukraine and is holding an official post there, was arrested on October 1 in Tbilisi. 

He says that he returned to Georgia after eight years to help his United National Movement opposition party win the October 2 municipal elections and change the current Georgian Dream leadership via an early parliamentary election. 

Saakashvili was convicted in Georgia in absentia back in 2018 and was sentenced to six years in prison. 

The man, who was hiding Saakashvili in his flat in Tbilisi, has been sent to pretrial detention for concealing crime earlier today.