Officers from the Anti-Corruption Agency of the State Security Service of Georgia (SSSG) have arrested Giorgi Kemoklidze, the former deputy director of the Penitentiary Department of the Special Penitentiary Service.

The State Security Service reported at a briefing that Kemoklidze’s detention relates to the case of Giorgi Bachiashvili [former Co-Investment Fund director, found guilty of misappropriation of a substantial sum and illicit income laundering]. He is currently detained under Article 332 of the Criminal Code, which pertains to abuse of official authority.

“We wish to inform the public in detail about developments within the Penitentiary Department concerning the Bachiashvili case, which is directly linked to the detention of G.K. [Giorgi Kemoklidze], as well as the ongoing investigation,” the SSSG stated.

According to the agency, Giorgi Kemoklidze, in prior agreement with prisoner Giorgi Bachiashvili, arranged for two specially selected inmates to be brought into his cell. These prisoners were supposed to simulate physical retribution against Bachiashvili, a plan they failed to execute at that stage. Subsequently, Giorgi Kemoklidze brought a prisoner, identified as K.M., into Bachiashvili’s cell. Upon entering, Giorgi Bachiashvili, drawing on previous experience, without any precondition, initiated a tense exchange with inmate K.M., which escalated into a minor physical altercation. Following this incident, as intended, various media outlets disseminated the story as though prisoner Giorgi Bachiashvili had been assaulted, a narrative that primarily served Bachiashvili’s interests and was the main objective of the staged event coordinated with Giorgi Kemoklidze.

Following this incident, various media outlets propagated the false narrative that Bachiashvili was beaten, a staged event primarily orchestrated for Bachiashvili’s benefit and aligned with the plan devised with Giorgi Kemoklidze. The aim was to use this fabricated story for internal PR, to damage the victim’s reputation, and to further influence the Strasbourg court.

Further investigation suggests that this scheme was likely motivated by corruption, prompting the case’s transfer from the Ministry of Justice to the Anti-Corruption Agency for thorough inquiry.

Evidence obtained reveals that Giorgi Kemoklidze abused his official position. Specifically, in June 2025, he ordered two prisoners, known as N.J. and I.G., to be transferred from another penitentiary facility without proper registration and to be held in Bachiashvili’s cell for ten days. Surveillance cameras at the cell entrance were turned off on Giorgi Kemoklidze’s orders to prevent recording of their entry and exit, and footage of the prisoners with Bachiashvili was subsequently deleted.

Notably, neither Giorgi Kemoklidze nor Bachiashvili has publicly acknowledged that these prisoners were held with Bachiashvili, despite detailed communication from Bachiashvili’s circle. Moreover, up to now, no witness in the extensive criminal case has mentioned the ten-day period when the prisoners shared the cell with Bachiashvili.

Additionally, on July 11, 2025, by order of Giorgi Kemoklidze, prisoner K.M., transferred from another penitentiary facility, was placed in the same cell as Giorgi Bachiashvili. Subsequently, Bachiashvili’s side publicly claimed that he was allegedly assaulted by another inmate in the cell. However, the investigation, including witness testimonies, established that several hours before the incident, the surveillance cameras in Bachiashvili’s cell had been deliberately turned off on Giorgi Kemoklidze’s orders to prevent video recording and, consequently, to conceal what actually happened. This strongly indicates an intention to stage the false assault on Bachiashvili,” the SSSG stated.

The State Security Service emphasises that the investigation is ongoing to clarify the nature of the criminal offence, uncover other relevant details, and determine whether additional individuals were involved.