Georgia condemns Saakashvili to three years in prison

The Tbilisi Court has found former Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili guilty of abuse of power over a 2006 murder, condemning him in a absence of three years in prison.

The judge, Giorgi Arevadze, has announced today the verdict against Saakashvili, who was president of Georgia from 2004 to 2013.

The court has found Saakashvili guilty of abuse of power as president, attempting to conceal evidence of the bank's murder of a worker, Sandro Girgviani, and forgiveness of four men who were convicted of murder.

Girglwani was head of the Foreign Department at the United Georgian Bank.

He had been found dead in 2006 outside Tbilisi with many injuries, as he was seen speaking to a local interior ministry officials.

Girgvwani's murder and the unwillingness of the authorities to investigate his death has resulted in harsh criticism in Saakashvili's government.

Saakashvili, now living in Ukraine, has consistently rejected accusations against him, naming them politically motivated.

Earlier, Ukraine has rejected Tbilisi authorities' requests to extradite Saakashvili to Georgia.