Prepared by Messenger Staff
Former Deputy Minister Placed in Pre-Trial Detention on Abuse of Power Charges
Former Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure Koba Gabunia has been placed in pre-trial detention after a Tbilisi court granted a request from prosecutors. The decision was issued by Judge Nato Khujadze following a motion from the prosecution.
Gabunia was recently detained by the Ministry of Finance and the State Security Service. He is accused of abusing his official authority during his time in office, though specific details of the alleged offense have not yet been disclosed publicly.
During the court hearing, Gabunia rejected the allegations and insisted that he had never pursued personal gain from his position. "I want to clarify that I have never in my life thought about any material benefit," he told the court. "Maybe I missed something or should have paid more attention, but I received no benefit whatsoever."
He explained that his work involved overseeing numerous projects and contractors, including the Municipal Development Fund. "There were many companies, and processes were ongoing, but I instructed no one to do anything improper," he said. "Advances were issued so that everyone had an equal chance. I had no interest, no benefit, no favoritism."
Gabunia stated he only learned from media reports that one of the contracted companies had failed to meet its obligations and emphasized that the cooperation with that firm had already been terminated. "I couldn't review all the documentation for 218 kindergartens. It's possible I missed something. The accusation is so huge - nine million lari - I don't know," he said.
Former Revenue Service Official Placed in Pre-Trial Detention in Absentia
The Tbilisi City Court has ordered the pre-trial detention of former high-ranking official Vladimir Khundadze, who is charged with abuse of power. Judge Irakli Shvangiradze granted the prosecution's request to detain Khundadze in absentia, as the former official is currently outside the country.
According to his lawyer, Zurab Tabidze, Khundadze left Georgia about two weeks ago to undergo medical treatment in Turkey and was unaware that criminal charges were pending against him. Tabidze called the court's decision "illegal" and said he would appeal.
"The prosecution's motion for detention was wrongly granted," the lawyer said. "Mr. Khundadze traveled to Turkey for medical reasons and had no intention of evading justice or obstructing the investigation. He crossed the border lawfully and was not hiding from anyone."
Tabidze said he submitted a medical certificate from a Turkish clinic confirming Khundadze's treatment and upcoming surgery scheduled for November 3. However, the judge "did not take the document into consideration and, for some reason, deemed it unreliable," he added.
The Prosecutor's Office alleges that while serving as Deputy Head of the Revenue Service, Khundadze used his position to assist Boris Gogichaishvili, who is accused of operating an illegal alcohol production network in Gori. Investigators say Gogichaishvili and his associates manufactured whiskey and vodka using foreign brand trademarks without authorization.
According to the prosecution, Khundadze advised Gogichaishvili on how to import and declare goods used in the illegal operation, instructing him on timing and customs procedures to avoid detection.
Khundadze's defense maintains that the accusations are unsubstantiated and that his absence from Georgia is solely due to his health condition. The lawyer said he has not yet been able to contact his client, who remains hospitalized in Turkey.
