22 February 2013, 18:00
In Georgia, Lado Vardzelashvili, former Minister of Sports and Youth, detained on murder case
The former Minister of Sports and Youth of Georgia Lado Vardzelashvili has been detained under the murder case of Davy Siradze, the head of the Department for Youth Matters of the above Ministry.
According to investigators, at night on February 22, 2013, Vladimir (Lado) Vardzelashvili, Zviad Kavtaradze and Vakhtang Bichashvili were with their friends in Vardzelashvili's apartment, located in Nutsubidze Street.
According to the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs, Vladimir Vardzelashvili took his friends to another room to show them his weapon collection. "He gave Zviad Kavtaradze a TT pistol for examination, during which he made an accidental shot. The bullet hit the chest of Davy Siradze, who stood in front of him," the Georgian MIA reports, explaining that Siradze died on the way to the hospital.
Along with the ex-minister, Zviad Kavtaradze and Vakhtang Bichashvili were also detained, the IA "News-Georgia" reports.
According to Gogita Gabaidze, the advocate of the detainees, it was just an accidental murder.
He explained that Vardzelashvili is expected to be charged with "illegal acquisition and possession of firearms", because, despite the fact that the pistol belonged to Bichashvili, it was kept in the safe of Vardzelashvili, the "Georgia Online" reports.
