In Mestia, two individuals detained in connection with the murder and robbery of a foreign citizen have been remanded in custody as a preventive measure

In the case of the murder and robbery of a foreign citizen, Viktor Solovyov, in Mestia, two suspects, Bejan Chkadua and Revaz Pakeliani, have been placed under pretrial detention as a preventive measure.

This decision was made by Judge Shota Bichia of the Zugdidi District Court.

The judge stated that evidence presented in the case revealed that both suspects had prior criminal records and were serving probation at the time of the incident. They had been previously convicted for various offenses, primarily drug-related crimes. According to the judge, interrogation records of Pakeliani indicated that the recent crimes they are accused of were also connected to drug-related activities.

“One of the suspects stated in his testimony that they were seeking information about locations where drugs had been hidden and intended to obtain these drugs. This intention led to the actions that were subsequently carried out,” the judge said.

The court session today deliberated on the preventive measures against the detainees.

The prosecution sought pretrial detention for Chkadua and Pakeliani, citing risks of flight, the commission of new crimes, and evidence tampering. According to the prosecutor, the crime was motivated by robbery, and after the suspects committed the offense as a group, they fled the scene, hid the stolen mobile phones, and the victim’s body was later discovered in another location.

The prosecution asserted that the murder was carried out by Revaz Pakeliani using a firearm.

The defense opposed the prosecution's motion, disputing the allegations of robbery and arguing for the suspects to be released without preventive measures. Bejan Chkadua’s lawyer, Lasha Khoshtaria, claimed the case relied solely on the testimony of a female victim. According to the lawyer, valuables like gold, money, and other items were present in the vehicle, yet there was no evidence that the suspects demanded these items. The lawyer also suggested that the investigation had not adequately questioned whether the suspects were specifically seeking information stored on the mobile phones.

“The investigation is focused solely on determining the facts surrounding the death or murder, while failing to address the preceding actions or motives of either the victims or the deceased. From the victim’s testimony, it is evident that when the suspects allegedly stopped their vehicle, the now-deceased victim perceived them as a threat and requested a knife, which the female victim, Alina Gabaeva, handed to him. He exited the car with the knife and confronted the suspects. Many crucial details remain unclear, and we believe this omission stems from the victim herself. There is no evidence of the suspects forcibly seizing or stealing the mobile phones. We will demonstrate that the phones were actually destroyed by the victim herself, as they contained critical information related to this case. Such information may necessitate the requalification of the charges later,” Khoshtaria stated.

In response, the prosecutor questioned why the suspects demanded the phones and why Solovyov was shot. The prosecutor emphasized that the female victim reported the phones were forcibly taken, with Chkadua allegedly using a knife to remove one from Solovyov, while Pakeliani pointed a firearm at her.

The prosecutor asked the suspects directly: “Why did you shoot him, Revaz?” Pakeliani replied, “I was defending myself, and that’s why I fired.”

The incident occurred on January 5 in Mestia. According to the investigation, Chkadua and Pakeliani attacked two foreign citizens traveling from Zugdidi to Mestia, stealing their mobile phones. The prosecution alleges that, to cover up the crime, the suspects killed one of the victims by shooting him with a firearm and then forced the second victim to hand over their phones under the threat of a knife and firearm. Afterward, they abandoned the second victim and disposed of the deceased’s body in a river before fleeing.

Chkadua and Pakeliani have been charged under multiple articles of Georgia’s Criminal Code, including Article 109 (premeditated murder under aggravating circumstances), Article 179 (robbery committed by a group), Article 143 (unlawful imprisonment), and Article 236 (illegal purchase, possession, and carrying of firearms). If convicted, they face sentences ranging from 16 to 20 years or life imprisonment.