Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) has detained one person after a married couple was shot dead near the elevator of a residential building in Tbilisi’s Didube district on the evening of 11 November. The killings were reportedly linked to a property dispute and the planned eviction of the suspect’s family.
Key points
- Both victims died at the scene after being shot in their residential building, and the suspect fled but was later detained.
- Media reports identified the victims as Soso Sujashvili and Nana Piranishvili. The MIA has not disclosed the detainee’s identity.
- The MIA says the crime was preceded by property matters, namely the suspect’s failure to fulfil financial obligations.
- The National Bureau of Enforcement says it had spent four years mediating between the parties, and that an eviction was scheduled for 12 November after the last meeting on 11 November produced no agreement.
What the MIA says
According to the MIA’s 12 November statement, the investigation established that the suspect fired a gun at the couple in their residential building and then fled the scene. Both died at the scene from their injuries. The ministry said the murder was committed under aggravating circumstances.
The investigation also established, the MIA said, that the crime was preceded by circumstances related to property matters, specifically the suspect’s failure to meet financial obligations.
The case is being investigated as the premeditated murder of two people under aggravating circumstances and as the illegal acquisition, possession and carrying of a firearm, under Articles 109 and 236 of Georgia’s Criminal Code. The charges carry a sentence of up to 20 years in prison or life imprisonment. The detainee is a suspect, and is presumed innocent unless a court finds him guilty.
The reported dispute
Georgian media reported that the dispute was over an apartment in Tbilisi’s Saburtalo district. According to those reports, one of the victims, Nana Piranishvili, had acquired the property through a forced auction but had been unable to evict the suspect’s family from the home. The suspect was reported to be a 62-year-old man.
What the National Bureau of Enforcement says
The National Bureau of Enforcement, which carries out court-ordered evictions, said it had been mediating between the parties for four years to try to reach an agreement, and that the eviction had been postponed several times following negotiations.
The bureau said the last meeting with the parties took place on 11 November, the day of the shooting, but no agreement was reached. The enforcement process to vacate the property in favour of its lawful owner was therefore scheduled for 12 November.
What happens next
The investigation is continuing. The court has not yet announced a pretrial measure for the detainee. This article will be updated when more details are released.
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