Ex-Defense Minister's Associates Ordered Held in Pre-Trial Detention

Judge Irakli Khuskivadze of the Tbilisi City Court ruled in favor of the prosecution's request for imprisonment, citing the nature of the alleged crime and the damage caused to the state. The decision came despite a motion from lawyers for Mkheidze and Khaindrava to release their clients on ₾100,000 bail.

Prosecutors accuse Ghudushauri and Khaindrava of group embezzlement of a particularly large amount of money, while Mkheidze is charged with aiding in the embezzlement. Mkheidze and Khaindrava deny the charges, while Ghudushauri has exercised his right to remain silent.

At today's hearing, Giorgi Khaindrava stated: 

"No one is disputing me, no one is accusing me, and I haven't had contact with witnesses. Yet, I knew who they were because the investigative agency told me during questioning. On the contrary, I was sitting at home and avoiding going outside. I was always in contact with the investigator."

According to case materials, Khaindrava and Ghudushauri, with Mkheidze's assistance, deliberately created an anti-competitive environment during the procurement of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machine for a military hospital. The prosecution alleges the defendants artificially inflated the MRI machine's real value through fraudulent deals, resulting in the embezzlement of ₾1,333,728 ($494,000) from the Ministry of Defense.

Mkheidze's lawyer, Tariel Kakabadze, described the case against his client as "thinly veiled," claiming there is only one witness against Mkheidze who "saved himself from handcuffs" by implicating his client.

"There was relevant operational information on this case. An investigation began based on operational information. Numerous pieces of evidence were obtained, including falsified documents and expert conclusions, which confirm the commission of the crime by the accused. To say that there is no evidence in the case is an unsubstantiated position," prosecutor Irakli Marshania stated.

When asked by a journalist whether former Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze is a subject of interest to the prosecution, the prosecutor stated that all investigative versions will be checked, and "among them, his actions will also be evaluated."

Georgia's State Security Service Anti-Corruption Agency detained Giorgi Khaindrava, Vladimer Ghudushauri, and Vasil Mkheidze on July 27 on charges of embezzling 1.3 million Lari. The investigation is being conducted under articles of the Criminal Code pertaining to embezzlement, which carry a penalty of 7 to 11 years in prison. Prosecutors indicated the investigation is ongoing to identify and expose other potential individuals involved.

A preliminary court hearing in the case is scheduled for September 17 at 11:00 AM in the Tbilisi City Court.