Georgian Court sentences two men in embezzlement case

A Tbilisi City Court has sentenced Giorgi Chikvaidze to nine years in prison for his role in an embezzlement case. His co-defendant, Irakli Papiashvili, received an eight-year sentence.

The pair were found guilty of misappropriating funds through abuse of their official positions as part of an organised group. The court heard that their actions caused financial damage amounting to 1,155,019 Georgian lari (approximately $420,840).

The prosecution welcomed the verdict, saying the court had fully accepted all the evidence presented against the defendants.

“Every fact and circumstance in this case confirms that a crime was committed,” the prosecutor told reporters outside the courtroom.

However, Chikvaidze’s lawyer dismissed the ruling as “unjustified” and vowed to challenge it. “We will appeal this decision to the Court of Appeals and, if necessary, we will take the case to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.”