Police Unveil Owner of Apartment where Ramishvili Took Money

In a statement issued on September 1 the Georgian Interior Ministry claimed that investigators know the name of the owner of the apartment where Shalva Ramishvili, co-founder of private the television station 202, took USD 30 thousand from ruling National Movement party MP Koba Bekauri on August 27.

The court has already sentenced Ramishvili to three month, pre-trial detention. He is accused of attempted extortion of USD 100,000 from Bekauri.

According to the Georgian Interior Ministry, the alleged apartment, on 35 Abashidze Street in downtown Tbilisi, is owned by Irma Stepnadze, who heads the Public Relations Department at the Georgian Railway Company.

?Stepnadze confirms that Ramishvili, Bekauri and an unknown person, Davit Kokhreidze [director general of 202], really visited her that day,? the Interior Ministry reports.

According to the statement, Stepnadze testified that Ramishvili even offered her USD 5,000, however she refused to take this money.

At a pre-trial hearing on August 29 Shalva Ramishvili, who pleaded innocent, refrained from naming the apartment?s owner, however said: ?My and Bekauri?s common friend [Stepnadze] contacted me and offered to take money in exchange for blocking the film. I have no doubt about the honesty of this person, who is very important for my future fate.?

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