In occupied Abkhazia, the so-called Tkvarcheli District Court sentenced the man accused of murdering 28-year-old Natia Bakhtadze to 7.5 years in prison. The verdict was announced on May 19.
Ainar Tsvizhba pleaded guilty. Despite the search, the victim’s body has still not been found.
Version: a body was found in the Gali district — possibly Natia Bakhtadze
As a reminder, the murder of 28-year-old Natia Bakhtadze caused a wide public outcry not only in the occupied Gali district, but also in the rest of Georgia. The young woman went missing on July 28, 2023. Later, the «prosecutor’s office» of Abkhazia confirmed that it was a case of murder, and Abkhazia resident Ainar Tsvizhba confessed to the crime.
While inside a Lexus GX 470, he struck the woman in the temple, causing her death.
According to investigators, after the murder, Natia Bakhtadze’s body was thrown into the Enguri River near the Vardnili HPP-3 (Cascade of Diversion HPPs — Ed.).
The search lasted for more than a month: about 100 volunteers, rescuers, and local residents participated in the operation, and sonar was used to survey the bottom of the reservoir. Despite this, the body could not be found for a long time.
The victim’s mother, Iamze Agumava, repeatedly appealed to the de facto authorities of Abkhazia, demanding a full investigation and the questioning of the suspect’s relatives.
In September 2023, fishermen discovered a human body in the Gali district, which, according to preliminary reports, could have been that of Natia Bakhtadze. However, there was no official confirmation of the identity of the body at that time.