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Six people nabbed in Abkhazia over attempt on life of President Ankvaba

Six people were detained in Abkhazia on the case of an attempt on life of the republican president that took place

Photo ITAR-TASS

Photo ITAR-TASS

SUKHUM, May 6 (Itar-Tass) — Six people were detained in Abkhazia on the case of an attempt on life of the republican president that took place on last February 22. Two brothers Edgar and Edlar Chitanavas were the last arrested.

Edlar Chitanava was arrested on April 28, 2012 as a result of a search operation, conducted by the State Security Service and the Interior Ministry in connection with a suspicion of complicity in the attempt on life on February 22. He was also accused in absentia of complicity in the attempt on life of Ankvaba, that took place in Gudauta on July 9, 2007.

Edlar’s brother – Edgar was arrested on May 4; he was also put on the Wanted List in connection with the attempt that took place on last February 22. While inspecting the clothing of Edgar who was in hiding in forest, policemen found on him a pistol, ammunition, a sleeping bag and a bag with personal belongings, Itar-Tass learnt at the investigation division of the Prosecutor-General’s Office.

The brothers now give testimonies to investigators.

Earlier, four people – Timur and Alkhas Khutabas, Anzor Butba and Ramzi Khashig -- were detained on a suspicion of an attempt on life on April 12 and then arrested on April 14.

On April 17 former Interior Minister Almasbei Kchach shot himself at his flat in the city of Gagra when police officers tried to arrest him. He was suspected of engineering at attempt on the president’s life.

Timur Khutaba hanged himself at a cell of a detention ward on the night of April 17 and 18. Another suspect in this criminal case – resident of Gudauta Murtaz Sakaniya tried to commit a suicide on April 17 on getting a subpoena to come for an interrogation. Sakaniya was saved, and he is arrested now.

Thus, six people were arrested on a suspicion of the attempt on the life of the president: Anzor Buba, Ramzi Khashig, Alkhas Khutaba, Murtaz Sakaniya, Edlar and Edgar Chitanavas. Still another resident of Gudauta Rushbei Smyr was put on the Wanted List.

All of them are suspected of “an encroachment on the life of President Alexander Ankvaba, murder of officers of his personal guard service Remzik Tsugba and Tengiz Pandariya, an attempt on life of two and more people, committed by an organized group”.

The sixth attempt on the life of Alexander Ankvaba was committed in the Gadauta district on February 22. The president himself went unscathed, but two officers of his personal guard service – Tengiz Pandariay and Remzik Tsugba died of wounds.

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