Imprisoned ex-PM Garibashvili charged with accepting especially large bribe

Georgia’s Prosecutor’s Office on Monday charged imprisoned former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili with accepting an especially large bribe as part of a group acting under a prior agreement.

According to Deputy Prosecutor General Amiran Guluashvili, the investigation established that, between 2021 and 2024, while serving as Prime Minister, Garibashvili held a state-political position and, among his other responsibilities, determined the Government’s main areas of activity, organized its work, and coordinated and supervised the activities of ministers.

During the same period, Juansher Burchuladze served as Minister of Defense and was accountable to the Prime Minister. Among his responsibilities were coordinating the activities of the ministry’s structural units and supervising the decisions and activities of relevant ministry officials.

Guluashvili said that, starting in late 2022, the Ministry of Defense identified a need to purchase various expensive medical equipment and supplies through classified procurement procedures.

According to the investigation, Vasili Mkheidze, a relative of Burchuladze, contacted a businessman with relevant experience and offered to structure the procurement process in a way that would guarantee a company linked to the businessman would win the contract at the desired price. In return, Mkheidze allegedly demanded a cash payment equal to 10% of the total contract value.

“After the individual connected to Vasili Mkheidze initially refrained from entering into the criminal agreement and requested additional guarantees from senior officials, then-Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze reached an agreement with then-Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili to conduct procurements for the Ministry of Defense in a manner that would guarantee companies linked to the aforementioned businessman would win the contracts at the desired price”, Guluashvili said.

In return, the officials would receive substantial illicit financial benefits.

“Having received full official protection from Irakli Garibashvili, who in turn allegedly demanded a corresponding material benefit and vouched for the reliability of the selected businessman in such matters, Juansher Burchuladze instructed then-Deputy Defense Minister Giorgi Khaintrava and then-Head of the Procurement Department Vladimir Gudushauri to deliberately create a non-competitive environment”, he said.

According to Guluashvili, these actions resulted in the artificial inflation of the prices of goods and services purchased under classified procurement contracts.

“As a result, during three classified procurements, companies connected to the aforementioned individuals supplied the Ministry of Defense with medical equipment and other supplies with an actual value of ₾11,499,705 ($4.40 million) for ₾ 18,484,960 ($7.07 million)”, he said.

In parallel with the procurements, the businessman transferred approximately 10 percent of the total contract values - ₾1.9 million ($727,000) - to Mkheidze in cash and in several installments in exchange for the guarantees and protection.

According to the investigation, Mkheidze retained ₾400,000 ($153,000) for personal benefit and transferred the remaining ₾1.5 million ($574,000) to Burchuladze. Burchuladze allegedly kept ₾750,000 ($287,000) for himself and transferred the remaining ₾750,000 ($287,000) to Garibashvili in several installments as a bribe.

“As a result of the aforementioned actions, the state suffered property damage in the amount of ₾ 6,985,255 ($2.67 million), while the public interest was substantially violated”, Guluashvili said.

The Prosecutor’s Office charged Garibashvili with accepting a particularly large bribe as a state-political official acting as part of a group. The offense carries a prison sentence of 11 to 15 years.

As for the other officials involved in the case, Guluashvili said they had already been convicted in connection with the aforementioned offenses. Burchuladze has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

“The Prosecutor’s Office will ask the court only to schedule a preliminary hearing in Irakli Garibashvili’s case, as he is already serving a sentence imposed following a conviction in a separate criminal case”, Guluashvili concluded.