Former high-ranking officials of the Special Penitentiary Service of Georgia, Giorgi Pataridze and Ramaz Pirtskhalava, accused in the case involving violence against David Peikrishvili in prison, have been granted bail set at 10,000 GEL (approximately $3,800) each as a preventive measure. They are required to pay the amount within 20 days.
The motion for release on bail was filed by the prosecution itself. The defense had proposed 3,000 GEL as an alternative. A preliminary court hearing in the case has been scheduled for December 30.
The former director of the Penitentiary Service, Giorgi Pataridze, has been charged under Part 1 of Article 333 of the Criminal Code of Georgia (“Exceeding Official Powers”), which carries a penalty of a fine, house arrest for a term of six months to two years, or imprisonment for up to three years, along with the deprivation of the right to hold certain positions or engage in certain activities for up to three years.
The former director of Gldani Prison, Ramaz Pirtskhalava, is charged under Part 1 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Georgia (“Abuse of Official Powers”), punishable by a fine, house arrest for a term of six months to two years, or imprisonment for up to three years, with the deprivation of the right to hold office or engage in professional activities for up to three years.
Separately, the court considered the question of pretrial measures for crime bosses and their associates regarding the beating of David Peikrishvili in prison. Custodial arrest was ordered for them; however, they are already being held in detention as part of other criminal proceedings.
On November 13, charges were brought against a total of seven individuals: in addition to former Penitentiary Service director Giorgi Pataridze and former Gldani Prison director Ramaz Pirtskhalava, the defendants include current inmates Vato Kipiani (also known as Vakhtang Zhvania), Shota Kipiani, Pavle Gotsiridze, David Kacharava, and Avtandil Bilanishvili (known by the moniker “Katsro”).
According to the prosecution, the former heads of the Penitentiary Service and Gldani Prison complied with a “request” from underworld figure Vato Kipiani and placed the accused individuals into Peikrishvili’s cell, where they subsequently beat and tortured him over the course of several days.
For three weeks, David Peikrishvili’s lawyer and family had reported that he was being beaten in his cell with the complicity of the prison administration and the Penitentiary Service. The prosecutor’s office confirmed this information only three weeks later. Prior to that, the Penitentiary Service had categorically denied the occurrence of any violence.
Twin brothers David and Giorgi Peikrishvili, whose names frequently appear in coverage of numerous criminal disputes, were detained on September 22 in connection with two separate criminal cases involving charges of group violence and extortion. However, on October 2, it emerged that an additional case had been opened against the brothers while in custody: they are accused of the illicit laundering of 10 million GEL (approximately $3.8 million).
As for Vato Kipiani and Avto Bilanishvili (“Katsro”), who are also regarded as “authorities” within the criminal underworld, they were detained on October 15 following a brawl at a restaurant. Shota Kipiani was also arrested alongside them in connection with that incident.
Notably, Vato Kipiani has previously been accused of plotting an assassination attempt against the Peikrishvili brothers. In 2020, the State Security Service of Georgia announced that a joint operation with the Security Service of Ukraine had thwarted an attempt on the brothers’ lives. According to investigators, the attack was being planned by Kipiani, who was residing in Ukraine at the time. The crime boss was detained in 2021 following his extradition to Georgia. However, after nine months in pre-trial detention, he was released when the court found the evidence insufficient to prove his guilt in the attempted murder of the Peikrishvili brothers.