Former Lagodekhi municipal official charged with land fraud

The State Security Service of Georgia on Monday said it had filed charges and arrested the former Mayor’s representative of Lagodekhi municipality in Ninigori administrative unit of eastern Georgia for fraud. 

The agency said the suspect, who took the public post from 2019 to 2022, had issued false reports, leading citizens to fraudulently acquire 37,864 m2 of state and private land valued at 1,746,934 GEL. 

Additionally,  the defendant and a group of individuals unlawfully obtained 1,928 square meters of land worth 105,199 GEL. 

SSS cited the domestic law on amnesty enacted on November 15, 2023, individuals could be exempted from criminal liability by returning fraudulently acquired land to the state or compensating its equivalent value, except for crimes committed by public servants. 

“Consequently, citizens who illicitly obtained state-owned land with the former official’s assistance were briefed on the stipulations of the specific law.

The arrested former official faces imprisonment ranging from 6 to 9 years if found guilty.