25 February 2020, 22:20
In Tbilisi, man accused in case on schoolboys' murder sentenced to long-term imprisonment
In Tbilisi, the court found Mikhail Kalandiya guilty of killing schoolchildren and sentenced him to 11 years and three months of imprisonment. The defence decided to appeal against the verdict.
The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that Mikhail Kalandiya was charged under an article on aggravated gang murder, which provided from 13 to 17 years of imprisonment.
On December 1, 2017, two teenagers were killed in as a result of a fight near a school in Tbilisi. On May 31, 2018, a court partially acquitted two teenagers accused of the murder. On June 1, 2019, the court sentenced one of the above teenagers to 10.5 years of imprisonment, and the other to 9 years and 9 months of imprisonment. The verdict provoked mass protests in the country, and the court increased the sentence of both convicts up to 11 years and 3 months of imprisonment. Mikhail Kalandiya, who had been earlier involved in the case as a witness, was also detained as a suspect.
Public prosecutor declared guilty of Mikhail Kalandiya as proven, the "Rustavi-2" TV Channel reports.
Relatives of Mikhail Kalandiya left the courtroom in protest against the court's decision, the "First Channel" reports.
Let us remind you that Zaza Saralidze, a father of one of the murdered teenagers, held protest actions with the demand of fair punishment for the murderers of his son. Zaza Saralidze called the detention of Mikhail Kalandiya in June 2019 a "long awaited investigators' act."
This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on February 25, 2019 at 12:48 pm MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.
Author: Galina Gotua Source: CK correspondent
