Briefing of Kakha Muradashvili, Deputy Director of Tbilisi Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs

The employees of Tbilisi Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Vake-Saburtalo Police Main Division, as a result of the investigative and procedural actions, arrested 9 people in connection with the incident that took place on the territory of Vake Park on October 13.

The investigation established that on October 22, 2021, an agreement was signed between the Environmental Protection Department of the Tbilisi Municipality and “Greenservice +” LLC, regarding the construction of the fountain and the fountain cascade located on the territory of Vake Park.

On August 26, 2022, on the basis of the acceptance-handover act between the parties, the city service of Environmental Protection of Tbilisi City Hall took over the part of works performed on fountains.

Despite the completed works on the central fountain, the Deputy Head of Environmental Protection City Service of the City Hall - G.V., requested the manager of “Greenservice +” LLC - A. M. to wrap the black colored water pipes of the electric motor in the fountain with a stainless white construction.

A. M. informed the director of “Greenservice +” LLC - L.F., who, in turn, instructed him to order the performance of the mentioned work to the representative of their own subcontractor company – “New Metal Design” LLC - L. Ch.

L. Ch., in turn, assigned the execution of works to private electric welders – G.G. and V. G. The supervision and control of the work performed by them was assigned to the work performer of “Greenservice +” LLC - B. M.

On September 22, 2022, the electric welders violated the safety norms during the performed works, in particular: in order to fit the stainless metal construction on the water pipes, they removed the metal grill for the electric motor, and while re-attaching it, put an electric wire between the concrete surface and the grill, as a result of which the insulation of the wire was damaged.

The director of “Greenservice +” presented the completed work to the City Service of the City Hall without conducting an appropriate inspection, thus, the deputy head of the Environmental Protection Service of the City Hall accepted the mentioned work without an appropriate inspection.

On the other hand, the representative of the subcontractor company of “Greenservice +” - L. Ch. did not check the work performed by the electric welders hired by him, and the work performer of “Greenservice +” - B. M. did not provide appropriate control over the mentioned activity.

If the mentioned persons performed their duties properly, the fact of damage to the electric wire would have been detected and the consequences avoided.

The investigation also established that “Greenservice +” LLC signed an agreement with “Mshenexpert” LLC in order to prepare a mandatory, relevant report for the concluding the acceptance-handover act with Tbilisi City Hall"s Environmental Protection City Service.

Director of “Mshenexpert” LLC - N. K. and the inspector - D.T. inspected the value of the volume of the actually performed works, the project of which was handed over to the employee of “Greenservice +” LLC - D. K.

Since the content of the mentioned conclusion did not meet the mandatory requirements specified in the contract signed between Tbilisi City Hall and “Greenservice +” LLC, and the Environmental Protection City Service of Tbilisi City Hall would not take over the works performed by “Greenservice +”, the company’s employee D.K. in exchange for the continuation of the future business relationship with the firm, persuaded the director and inspector of “Mshen-expert” LLC to add to the report that they had studied the compliance of the performed works with the construction norms and rules in force in Georgia.

On August 25, 2022, D.T. and N. made a fake official document - an inspection report, in the final part of which they also noted that the performed works were in compliance with construction norms and rules in force in Georgia.

The mentioned fake conclusion was presented to the City Office of Environmental Protection of the City Hall by the director of “Greenservice +” LLC L. F. which became the basis for signing the act of acceptance between the parties.

The employees of Tbilisi Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Vake Saburtalo Police Main Division conducted several hundreds of investigative and procedural actions in a round-the-clock regime since the investigation was launched. They have repeatedly interviewed persons involved in the case, collected evidences from the place of crime as well as important documentation related to the case.

The report of trasological examination has already been received, appropriate forensic examinations are appointed in order to clarify the issues existing in the investigation.

On October 18, 2022, the police arrested all nine individuals in Tbilisi based on the relevant court decision.

Under the Article 342, part II of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which implies the neglect of official duties that resulted in death, the Deputy Head of the Environmental Protection Service under Tbilisi City Hall was arrested.
The director of “Greenservice +” LLC has been arrested under Article 220 (1), II part and Article 362, part I of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which refers to negligence that led to the loss of human life and the use of a fake official document.
Under Article 220 (1), II part of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which refers to negligence that led to the loss of human life, the manager of “Greenservice +” LLC – B.M. and the representative of “New Metal Design” LLC – L.Ch were arrested.
An employee of “Greenservice +” – D.K. was arrested under Article 25-362, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which implies inciting the production of a forged official document.
Under Article 362, part I of the Criminal Law Code of Georgia, which refers to making and selling fake official document, the director of “Mshen-expert” LLC- N.K and the inspector of the same company- D.T. were arrested.
Under Article 240, part II of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which refers to the breach of the safety regulations, which led to the loss of human life, 2 individuals - private electric welders, G.G. and V.G. have been arrested.

Investigative activities are still in progress, based on the obtained evidences, the circle of the accused persons may expand.

In the course of the investigation, due to high public interest, the agency will periodically provide public with the updated information.