Former prison official accused of orchestrating staged assault involving inmate Giorgi Bachiashvili, former Head of Co-Investment Fund

The Anti-Corruption Agency of the Georgian State Security Service of Georgia has detained Giorgi Kemoklidze, the former Deputy Director of the Penitentiary Department of the Special Penitentiary Service.

The detention is connected to a complex scheme involving prisoner Giorgi Bachiaishvili - the former Head of the Co-Investment Fund, who had previously been sentenced to 11 years in prison in a high-profile case involving the misappropriation of cryptocurrency belonging to Bidzina Ivanishvili, the founder of the ruling Georgian Dream party - and is being investigated under allegations of misuse of official authority.

The investigation suggests that Kemoklidze, in a preliminary agreement with inmate Bachiaishvili, arranged for two inmates to be transferred into Bachiashvili’s cell with the intention of simulating a physical assault.

The plan was initially unsuccessful. Subsequently, Kemoklidze placed another inmate in Bachiashvili’s cell. Upon his arrival, a minor physical confrontation occurred, which was later circulated in the media as an assault against Bachiashvili - a narrative serving Bachiashvili’s interests and forming part of the prearranged scenario.

The purpose of the incident, according to investigators, was to manipulate public perception in Bachiashvili’s favor and use the case strategically both domestically and before the European Court of Human Rights.

The investigation raised suspicions that a possible corrupt agreement may have served as the basis for this scheme, prompting the Ministry of Justice to refer the case to the Anti-Corruption Agency of the State Security Service.

Evidence gathered during the investigation further substantiated the allegations. According to the findings, in June 2025, Kemoklidze abused his official authority by ordering two inmates to be placed in Bachiashvili’s cell at Penitentiary Facility No. 8 without proper registration. Surveillance cameras outside the cell were disabled to prevent documentation of their presence, and the related video footage was later erased under Kemoklidze's instructions.

Notably, neither Kemoklidze nor Bachiashvili disclosed the presence of these two inmates - neither during the investigation nor publicly - despite Bachiashvili and his associates frequently communicating case details to the public.

The investigation is ongoing to further clarify the legal qualifications of the alleged offenses, uncover additional details relevant to the case, and identify any other individuals who may have been involved in the criminal scheme.