Two Sent to Pretrial Detention in Kaspi Municipality Bribery Case
By Liza Mchedlidze
Monday, December 29, 2025
Two people accused of bribery and aiding and abetting bribery in Kaspi Municipality have been placed in pretrial detention by Tbilisi City Court. The decision was made by Judge Davit Kurtanidze, who granted the prosecution's motion.
Defense lawyer Girshel Dzbezniauri argued that the request for detention was not properly substantiated and asked the court to release both defendants on bail of 10,000 GEL each. He told the court that his clients cooperated with the investigation and expressed remorse.
The lawyer pointed to the health condition of one of the accused, Nizlam Sharifov, saying he is battling cancer and has undergone two surgeries. According to the defense, Sharifov requires daily medication, which would make detention particularly difficult.
Regarding the second defendant, Khatuna Kakhishvili, Dzbezniauri said she is the main provider for her family. He noted that she has worked for years in public service, supporting local communities, and has two children, only one of whom is employed, with the others dependent on her income.
Despite these arguments, the court rejected the request for bail and ordered both defendants to remain in custody. The next court hearing has been scheduled for February 23.
The case is part of a broader anti-corruption operation conducted by the Anti-Corruption Agency of the State Security Service across several regions of Georgia. As a result of these operations, four people were detained in four separate criminal cases, and a total of 11 individuals were brought to justice.
The Kaspi Municipality case represents the second episode of the investigation. According to authorities, an employee of the National Food Agency under the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, along with a private citizen, allegedly accepted 560 GEL in exchange for issuing falsified certificates required for the sale of beef, without verifying the meat's suitability or ensuring consumer safety.
In a statement released on December 28, the State Security Service issued a warning in connection with the ongoing anti-corruption campaign. "We issue a strict warning to everyone: we have the necessary will and the means to pursue every corrupt deal to the very end and to do everything possible to ensure its maximum prevention. Accordingly, appropriate conclusions should be drawn from both the steps already taken and those yet to be taken, and people must refrain from committing crimes," the SSS said.
The agency said the Anti-Corruption Agency will continue efforts to identify and prevent corruption in all its forms. "The Anti-Corruption Agency continues to work to detect and prevent any corrupt crimes. Once again, we strictly warn anyone who intends to harm the interests of the state and society through personal corrupt schemes: we have the will and the means to pursue every corrupt deal to the very end and to do everything possible to ensure maximum prevention. Accordingly, appropriate conclusions should be drawn from both the steps we have taken and those we will take, and criminal activity must be abandoned," the statement said.
