Prosecutor’s Office charges former PM Irakli Garibashvili with taking bribe in especially large amount

Georgia’s Prosecutor’s Office has charged former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili with taking a bribe in an especially large amount by an organized group, Deputy Prosecutor General Amiran Guluashvili said at a briefing.

According to Guluashvili, the investigation established that between 2021 and 2024, while serving as prime minister, Garibashvili was a state-political official who, among other duties, determined the main directions of government policy, organized the government’s activities, and coordinated and supervised the work of ministers.

During the same period, Juansher Burchuladze served as defense minister and was accountable to the prime minister.

“Starting in late 2022, the Defense Ministry needed to purchase various expensive medical devices and equipment through classified procurement procedures. According to the investigation, Vasyl Mkheidze, a relative of Burchuladze, contacted a businessman and offered to arrange the procurement process in a way that would guarantee the victory of companies linked to the businessman at a favorable price. In return, he allegedly demanded 10% of the total contract value in cash.

After the businessman initially refused to enter into the alleged criminal agreement without additional guarantees from senior officials, Burchuladze allegedly reached an agreement with then-Prime Minister Garibashvili to arrange the Defense Ministry’s procurements in a manner that would guarantee the victory of the businessman’s affiliated companies in exchange for substantial illegal financial benefits.

With Garibashvili’s backing, officials at the Defense Ministry created a non-competitive environment during three classified procurement procedures for the Military Hospital. As a result, the value of the contracts was artificially inflated.

The companies connected to the individuals involved supplied medical equipment and other inventory with an actual value of GEL 11,499,705 for GEL 18,484,960, resulting in GEL 6,985,255 in financial damage to the state.

The businessman subsequently paid Mkheidze approximately 10% of the total contract values — GEL 1.9 million — in cash in several installments. Mkheidze allegedly kept GEL 400,000 for himself and transferred the remaining GEL 1.5 million to Burchuladze. Of that amount, Burchuladze kept GEL 750,000 and handed the remaining GEL 750,000 to Garibashvili in several installments as a bribe,” Amiran Guluashvili said.

As a result, the state suffered property damage amounting to GEL 6,985,255, while the public interest was substantially harmed, according to the Prosecutor’s Office.

Garibashvili has been charged under Article 338, Parts 2(a) and 2(c), and Part 3(e) of Georgia’s Criminal Code. The charges concern the taking of an especially large bribe by a state-political official as part of a group and carry a prison sentence of 11 to 15 years.

The Prosecutor’s Office noted that other officials involved in the case have already been convicted by the court and sentenced. Burchuladze, in particular, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Guluashvili said the Prosecutor’s Office will apply to the court only to request that a preliminary hearing date be set, as Garibashvili is already serving a sentence following a conviction in another criminal case.