Tbilisi police arrest suspect in killing of foreign national UPDATED

Police in Tbilisi have arrested a foreign national on suspicion of killing another foreign citizen in the Georgian capital, the Georgian Interior Ministry said.

According to the ministry, investigators established that a conflict broke out between two foreign nationals in Tbilisi. During the confrontation, one of them allegedly attacked the other with a bladed weapon and a blunt object before fleeing the scene. The victim died at the scene from the injuries.

“The investigation established that a conflict occurred in Tbilisi between two foreign nationals, during which one of them inflicted injuries on the other using a bladed weapon and a blunt object, after which he fled. The victim died at the scene,” the Interior Ministry said.

Police recovered the alleged murder weapon as evidence, the ministry added.

The investigation is being conducted under Article 108 of Georgia’s Criminal Code, which carries a prison sentence of between 10 and 15 years.

The Interior Ministry did not disclose the nationalities of those involved in its official statement. Georgian media, however, reported that the victim was a Russian citizen in his 40s who had arrived in Georgia two days before the incident, on August 26.

19:27 (August 28)

A Russian citizen who had arrived in Georgia just two days earlier was killed in Tbilisi, after which the suspected killer fled the scene and is now being sought by police.

Police said the victim was a man under 40, Caliber.Az reports, citing Georgian media.

According to witnesses, a confrontation between the victim and the alleged attacker may have started at a Spar store.

Police are investigating the circumstances of the incident, and a criminal case has been opened.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov