Levan Chachua, a forensic pathologist, who carried out post-mortem examination of Zurab Zhvania hours after the late PM was found dead on February 3, 2005, was acquitted by the Tbilisi City Court of neglect charges on March 16.

Chachua, who was head of forensic medical unit at the National Forensics Bureau at the time of Zhvania’s death, was charged a year ago by the prosecution of neglect of official duty, claiming that he failed to carry out thorough post-mortem examination of the late prime minister’s body. Chachua, who was arrested in March 2014, was released on bail in November after spending eight months in pre-trial detention.

“I was innocent, therefore I was expecting such verdict from the court,” Chachua told journalists after judge Davit Mgeliashvili delivered acquittal.