Courts / Kerry / Report

Witness failed to identify murder accused, trial hears

Date
2015-10-23

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Tralee

County
Kerry

Summary

During the trial of Badri Khvedelidze, a 33‑year‑old Georgian national accused of murdering his compatriot George Tkeshelashvili in a Tralee direct provision hostel in October 2005, a witness named Adeyenka Sow Unmi, a 45‑year‑old Nigerian also living in the hostel, failed to identify Khvedelidze when shown his photograph. Unmi, who had been at the hostel on the day of the alleged incident, had reported hearing loud voices and seeing a fight in a corridor. He later told Gardaí that he saw a man with a knife walking toward him and that he could identify the man with the knife. When Gardaí presented him with eight photographs of people thought to be involved, he identified three men but did not identify Khvedelidze as having been at the scene. Badri Khvedelidze pleaded not guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Witness failed to identify murder accused, trial hears. Charges or matters: the murder of his compatriot George Tkeshelashvili at a direct provision hostel for asylum seekers in Tralee, Co Kerry in October 2005. Procedural stage: trial

When:

October 2005 Incident
October 20 Incident
Tuesday October 27 Hearing Or Sentence
2015-10-23 Publication

Why: Mr Unmi told gardai that he would be able to identify the man with the knife, because he had walked directly towards him. CNI source report

Case subjects

Badri Khvedelidze

Defendant

Charges: the murder of his compatriot George Tkeshelashvili at a direct provision hostel for asylum seekers in Tralee, Co Kerry in October 2005 (Alleged Or Contested)

Plea: Not guilty