“Why am I angry at Gia Chaduneli [Levan Jangveladze’s driver]? Chaduneli couldn’t do anything that was his duty! He had 34 bullets and couldn’t fire even one shot into the air? For 17 years he kept telling me ‘I’m a professional, I was in special forces’ - he was like a family member, and the one time that person needed him…” - this was stated in court by Mikheil Berdzenishvili, the maternal cousin of the murdered businessman Levan Jangveladze.

With this statement, Berdzenishvili answered the defense’s question about why he is angry at Chaduneli.

During his testimony, he said he has many questions for Levan Jangveladze’s driver, who also performed bodyguard functions.

According to the murdered businessman’s cousin, on the day of the murder he was at home in Samtredia when he received a call informing him that Levan Jangveladze had been shot. After that, he headed to Tbilisi. According to the testimony, on the way he repeatedly called Gia Chaduneli, but the phone was switched off. Later, Chaduneli’s son called him and said his father could not speak because he had lost a lot of blood.

Berdzenishvili testified that shortly after the call with Chaduneli, Gia Chaduneli arrived at the Levan Samkharauli National Forensic Bureau, which surprised him because “an hour earlier I called him on the phone and couldn’t reach him.” Berdzenishvili said Chaduneli told him that on the day of the murder he was waiting for Jangveladze in the car after attending a funeral, and before that he had inspected the entrance.

“I told him: why did you go up by elevator in the entrance instead of the stairs? Didn’t you teach me that everything should be done the other way around? He’s crying, apologizing for something. ‘There will be questions for you and you’ll have to answer them,’ I said. ‘I didn’t see Levan coming,’ he said. Then when I watched the video, no one was walking around. The shooting started and when I got up, I was hit by a bullet,” - Berdzenishvili stated.

When the defense asked why the witness appears angry at Gia Chaduneli and why, the witness responded with a question:

“Is it necessary to explain why I’m angry? God forbid you ever experience this - Chaduneli couldn’t do anything that was his duty! He had 34 bullets and couldn’t fire even one shot into the air? For 17 years he kept telling me he was a professional, he was like a family member, and the one time that person needed him…” - stated Berdzenishvili.

When the lawyer asked whether Chaduneli only failed to perform his duty or whether his suspicions went further, the witness replied:

“Of course it raises suspicions. His inaction already raises suspicions… Kakha Dzandzava [Jangveladze’s accompanying person] is not a serious person. When the shooting started, Kakha Dzandzava ran away - he’s probably still running, a shameless man. When they shot Levan, Dzandzava was still there and shouted ‘pull back.’ Kakha Dzandzava also did nothing. Kakha could have done something small there - I’m offended, he’s not a brave man; he could have grabbed the killer from behind or something… Chaduneli was following with a weapon, saying ‘I’m special forces’ - he could have fired,” - stated Berdzenishvili.

When the defense asked why, in today’s testimony, he is speaking about different details than those given during the investigation stage - including about Usoian and others - and why he did not tell the agency this information at the time, Berdzenishvili answered that at the time he was in a bad state because Levan Jangveladze had just been killed.

“Whatever questions they asked me, I answered - the murder had just happened. The second questioning was in August - I recalled Partskhaladze, Usoian, the Mikadzes; today what I said, including the airport part, I recalled later,” - stated Berdzenishvili.

According to him, Levan Jangveladze’s mother, who is 87 years old, “still does not know about her son’s death.”

For information: The investigation charges brothers Giorgi and Davit Mikadze, as well as Giorgi Jokhadze, with organizing the contract killing of Levan Jangveladze.

Giorgi Jokhadze is also charged, together with Giorgi Kachkachashvili, with the illegal group acquisition of firearms.

Gela Udzilauri has been convicted of the contract murder of businessman Levan Jangveladze and the attempted murder of Gia Chaduneli. He has been sentenced to life imprisonment. Within the same case, Sandro Tsivtsivadze has been convicted of the illegal sale of firearms and sentenced to 8 years of imprisonment.

Former Prosecutor General Otar Romanov-Partskhaladze is also charged in the same case. He has been charged under Article 25/109 “n” of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which refers to organizing a contract murder for profit.

This crime is punishable by 16 to 20 years or life imprisonment. Otar Romanov-Partskhaladze is a Russian citizen and an international wanted notice has been issued for him.