Prosecutor’s Office charges ex-defense minister Burchuladze with taking particularly large bribe

Georgia’s Prosecutor’s Office has charged two individuals, including former Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze, with taking a particularly large bribe as part of a group by prior agreement and aiding in the taking of a bribe.

The Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday said an investigation conducted by the State Security Service established that Burchuladze served as defense minister from 2021 to 2024 and, as a state-political official, was accountable to the prime minister and supervised the activities of structural units within the ministry.

The investigation alleged that from late 2022, the Defense Ministry needed to purchase expensive medical equipment and inventory through classified procurement procedures. According to investigators, Burchuladze’s relative, Vasil Mkheidze, acting in agreement with the then-defense minister, approached a businessman with relevant experience and offered to arrange the procurement in a way that would guarantee a company connected to the businessman would win the tender at a desired price.

In exchange, the businessman was allegedly asked to pay 10% of the total contract value in cash.

The Prosecutor’s Office alleged that after the businessman initially refused the arrangement and sought additional guarantees from senior officials, Burchuladze reached an agreement with then-Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili to conduct the procurements in a way that would guarantee the victory of companies linked to the businessman in return for substantial illicit financial benefits.

The agency claimed Burchuladze’s then-deputy Giorgi Khaindrava and then-head of the Procurement Department Vladimir Ghudushauri subsequently created an anti-competitive environment in three classified procurement procedures for medical equipment and other inventory for the Giorgi Abramishvili Georgian Defense Ministry Military Hospital.

The Prosecutor’s Office alleged that the value of the goods and services was artificially inflated through transactions that did not reflect their actual value. As a result, companies linked to the individuals allegedly supplied medical equipment and other inventory with a real value of GEL 11.5 million for GEL 18.48 million.

According to the investigation, the businessman subsequently paid Mkheidze approximately 10% of the total contract values in cash, amounting to GEL 1.9 million. Mkheidze allegedly kept GEL 400,000 for himself and transferred the remaining GEL 1.5 million to Burchuladze.

The Prosecutor’s Office alleged that Burchuladze kept GEL 750,000 and transferred the remaining GEL 750,000 to Garibashvili in several installments as a bribe.

The alleged scheme caused the state GEL 6.985 million in financial damage, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.

The offenses carry a sentence of 11 to 15 years in prison.

The Prosecutor’s Office noted that former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has already been charged in connection with the same criminal episode.

Taking into account Burchuladze and Mkheidze’s cooperation with the investigation, the prosecution said it would ask the court at their first appearance to issue verdicts without a full trial, based on plea agreements.

Under the proposed agreements, Burchuladze would be found guilty and sentenced to five years in prison, of which he would serve three years in a penitentiary and two years would be suspended for the same probationary period. He would also be fined GEL 1 million.

Mkheidze would receive a sentence of four years and two months, including one year and two months in prison and three years suspended for the same probationary period, along with a GEL 100,000 fine.

The Prosecutor’s Office also said that Burchuladze and Mkheidze have already been convicted in another criminal case and have been assigned respective sentences.