Interior Minister Comments on Arrest of Tbilgazi Top Executive

Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili said on March 7 that top executive of the Tbilisi gas distribution company Tbilgazi Giorgi Gvichiani was arrested on suspicion of masterminding murder of Nika Lominadze, the financial manager of Telasi electricity distributing company in 2002.

Merabishvili said that four under suspects are also arrested with alleged links to this murder case, which, as he said, was carried out to cover up financial fraud in the Telasi company. “USD 20 000 was paid for this murder,” Merabishvili said.

Gvichiani himself denied any links with Lominadze’s murder.

Giorgi Gvichiani, who was arrested on March 7, was the commercial manager of the Telasi at the time of Lominadze’s murder.

Police already arrested Gvichiani once in June 2003 on charges of financial fraud, but he was released on bail. Gvichiani was appointed as the Director-General of Tbilgazi last year with the recommendation of Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava.

“I want to assure everybody that nobody is untouchable in Georgia, including those who were promoted and appointed by us [the government],” Interior Minister Merabishvili said at a news conference.