A hearing is underway at Tbilisi City Court for Romeo Mikautadze, the former First Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, who is facing serious corruption-related charges. Mikautadze is present at the session, where Judge Arsen Kalatozishvili is set to decide on the imposition of a preventive measure.
The prosecution has requested pre-trial detention, arguing that the defendant poses a flight risk, and could destroy evidence or influence witnesses. In contrast, Mikautadze’s lawyer, Beka Nemsitsveridze, dismissed the charges as unsubstantiated and called for his client’s release without any preventive measure.
Based on the investigation, Mikautadze is accused of systematically abusing his official powers for personal gain, resulting in the illegal legalization of over 2.5 million GEL with the help of accomplices. He was arrested on June 20 and faces charges under Article 332 (abuse of power) and Article 194 (money laundering) of Georgia’s Criminal Code. If convicted, he could face up to 12 years in prison.
