Former Georgian Prosecutor General Accused of Ordering Contract Killing
By Liza Mchedlidze
Tuesday, December 30, 2025
Georgia's Interior Ministry has accused former Prosecutor General Otar Romanov Partskhaladze, now a Russian citizen, of organizing the contract killing of businessman Levan Jangveladze. The announcement was made on December 29 by Georgian Dream Deputy Interior Minister Aleksandre Darakhvelidze, who said investigators consider the case fully solved with regard to Partskhaladze's role.
"Otar Romanov Partskhaladze organized the intentional killing of Levan Jangveladze," Darakhvelidze said, describing him as "the undisputed leader of the established criminal group."
According to Darakhvelidze, Partskhaladze will be placed on a wanted list, and the prosecution will ask the court to issue a pretrial detention order. Reportedly residing in Russia, Partskhaladze faces a possible sentence of 16 to 20 years in prison or life if convicted.
Levan Jangveladze, the brother of criminal underworld figure Merab Jangveladze, was shot dead in Tbilisi in March. The gunman, former riot police officer Gela Udzilauri, was sentenced to life imprisonment in October after being found guilty of intentional and contract killing. Udzilauri admitted to the shooting but claimed it was motivated by revenge rather than a paid contract.
The Interior Ministry said a criminal group led by Partskhaladze had longstanding business disputes with Jangveladze. "A circle of individuals who formed a criminal group, as well as its leaders, Otar Romanov Partskhaladze and the Mikadze brothers, had confrontations with Levan Jangveladze and organized his killing," Darakhvelidze said.
Investigators allege that acting on Partskhaladze's instructions, brothers Davit and Giorgi Mikadze contacted associate Giorgi Jokhadze and recruited Udzilauri to carry out the murder. "The group obtained information about the exact time of Jangveladze's arrival in Georgia and his travel route," Darakhvelidze said, adding that on March 14, 2025, Udzilauri shot Jangveladze on Chavchavadze Avenue in Tbilisi, also wounding another person.
Several suspects have been arrested in connection with the case, including Giorgi Mikadze, Mamuka Baghdavadze, Giorgi Kachkachashvili, and Sandro Tsivtsivadze, in whose name the murder weapon was registered. Davit Mikadze and Giorgi Jokhadze have been declared wanted, while substantive hearings for those in custody are ongoing at Tbilisi City Court.
Partskhaladze's alleged involvement was first raised publicly during a September court hearing, when a detective testified that "operational information" pointed to his role in ordering the killing. After an October hearing, a member of the Jangveladze family told the media that, in their view, the murder had been ordered by Partskhaladze.
Commenting on the case, Georgian Dream Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said Partskhaladze's loss of Georgian citizenship complicates extradition efforts. "He has lost his Georgian citizenship and is a Russian citizen, which, of course, complicates the extradition process," Papuashvili said, adding that "it is important that all criminals be held accountable."
Partskhaladze, once a close associate of Georgian Dream founder Bidzina Ivanishvili, served briefly as prosecutor general in 2013 before resigning amid controversy. He has since been sanctioned by the United States and the United Kingdom over alleged ties to Russia and is currently among several former senior officials under investigation in a new probe.
