Mayor’s office official charged with bribery
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Friday, February 13
The head of the Tbilisi Mayor’s Office Supervision Department Jokia Bodokia, has been detained for accepting a large bribe.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), Bodokia promised assistance to a private company in obtaining a construction permit.
He also pledged support in the course of the building process instead of 10% of the hotel’s total price totaling $180,000 USD.
The ministry informs that the individual took 50,000 USD in advance.
The crime is punishable with up to 11 to 15 years in prison.
Tbilisi Mayor Davit Narmania dedicated a special briefing to the incident. He stressed that his office will collaborate with the investigation.
The Mayor also asked the Mayor’s Office staff to refrain from any illegal activities, as according to him, his office will have a strong response to any wrongdoing.
The opposition United National Movement (UNM) accuses the current leadership of the Mayor’s Office, Narmania among them, of inciting corruption.
UNM member Irakli Abesadze stresses that the Tbilisi Mayor’s office carried out 12 million GEL worth of purchases in the last four months without declaring any tenders.
“The dishonest practice was established by current Mayor Davit Narmania. Signing contracts without tenders is a source of corruption,” Abesadze says.
The Mayor’s Office dismisses the accusations, blaming the opposition in spreading rumors. According to them, the companies undertaking various projects have several years of experience.
