The Tbilisi City Court found former Georgian Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze guilty of abuse of office and money laundering and sentenced him to 10 years in prison. He was also ordered to forfeit his property—a plot of land and a house in Spain, as well as a house and parking space in the village of Tskneti. Upon his release, he will be banned from holding public office for two years.
Other defendants in the case were also convicted. Specifically, former Deputy Minister Giorgi Khaindrava received an eight-year prison sentence and a two-year ban from holding public office. Burchuladze's son-in-law, Vasil Mkheidze, received the same sentence; items deemed material evidence were also confiscated from him.
A plea bargain was reached with Vladimir Gudushauri, former head of the Defense Ministry's procurement department. He pleaded guilty and received a four-year suspended sentence, a 10,000 lari fine, and a one-year ban from holding public office. The court also lifted the seizure of his property.
Khaindrava and Gudushauri were charged with embezzlement on an especially large scale, while Mkheidze was charged with aiding and abetting this crime.
