A court in Georgia has sentenced former Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze to 10 years in prison, concluding a high-profile case involving alleged abuse of office, money laundering, and large-scale embezzlement.
The verdict was delivered by Judge Irakli Khuskivadze, who also handed prison sentences to other defendants in the case. Burchuladze’s former deputy, Giorgi Khaindrava, was sentenced to eight years in prison, as was Burchuladze’s brother-in-law, Vasil Mkheidze.
A plea agreement was reached with Vladimir Gudushauri, the former head of the Defense Ministry’s procurement department. He was found guilty but received a suspended four-year sentence and a fine of 10,000 GEL after admitting guilt and placing responsibility on the former minister.
As part of the ruling, Burchuladze was stripped of multiple assets, including real estate properties—among them a house in Spain.
According to prosecutors, Burchuladze and his associates procured medical equipment from a specific company without conducting proper market research, causing financial damage to the state amounting to 1,333,728 GEL.
The charges against Burchuladze—abuse of official authority and illegal legalization of income—carry sentences ranging from 9 to 12 years under Georgia’s Criminal Code. Meanwhile, Khaindrava and Gudushauri were accused of large-scale embezzlement, and Mkheidze of assisting in embezzlement, crimes punishable by 7 to 11 years in prison.
Before the verdict was announced, Burchuladze exercised his right to deliver a final statement. Khaindrava told the court he had not been involved in the case and had little to say in his defense. Mkheidze declined to make a final statement, while Gudushauri did not attend the hearing in person and participated remotely.
Burchuladze is widely considered to have been part of the political circle of former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili. Among the defendants, only Gudushauri had been released on bail prior to the verdict.
