September 29, 2007 - 14:39 AMT
U.S. State Department justifies Okruashvili detainment
"In am not aware of the details of Irakli Okruashvili's arrest. However, I think it followed some criminal activities. It's conditioned by the intention to establish order in the state but not by politics. The court will arrive at a verdict. If there are suspicions the investigation should be carried out with extreme accuracy and scrupulosity," said Matthew Bryza, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs.
Law enforcement and law supremacy are in the process of being refined in Georgia, according to him, Noviy Region reports.
Former Georgian Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili was detained in Tbilisi yesterday. He is accused under 4 articles of the Georgian Penal Code: extortion, money laundering, abuse of authority and office negligence.
Once being Saakashvili's closest ally, Irakli Okruashvili went into opposition and later accused the President of organizing the murder of well-known businessman Badri Patarkatsishvili.