Tbilisi City Court has granted bail in the amount of GEL 500,000 to Ilia Gudushauri, former Deputy Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Protection of Georgia. The bail was imposed as a restrictive measure pending the conclusion of the ongoing investigation.
Under the court’s ruling, Gudushauri has been given 30 days to pay the bail. Until the full amount is paid, he will remain in custody.
During the hearing, the Prosecutor’s Office argued that the use of a restrictive measure remains necessary, as the investigation is still ongoing and the motive and objectives behind the alleged crime are yet to be fully established. The prosecution also requested additional restrictions, including a ban on crossing the state border and the seizure of the defendant’s identification documents.
Judge Nana Shamatava upheld the prosecution’s motion and ordered the confiscation of Gudushauri’s passport and ID card.
Gudushauri has been formally charged with abuse of official authority by a person holding a state-political position, under Part 2 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Georgia. Prosecution says the requested bail amount was deemed appropriate given that the defendant fully admitted the charges and cooperated with the investigation.
The defendant did not make any public statement during the hearing and confirmed his full admission of guilt. A pre-trial hearing has been scheduled for March 24 at 12:00.
Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia says the investigation—conducted by the Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance—established that on September 27, 2022, the Ministry announced a tender for the purchase of 70 emergency medical vehicles.
Three companies participated in the tender, and the bidder offering the lowest price was initially declared the winner. However, investigators allege that Gudushauri, acting in favor of a different company that had submitted a higher bid, illegally terminated the tender on artificially created grounds.
Subsequently, on May 10, 2023, a new tender was announced on Gudushauri’s instructions, with modified conditions tailored to a single pre-selected bidder whose management reportedly had personal ties to the accused. As a result, the tender proceeded without competition, with no other companies participating.
The pre-selected company was ultimately awarded the contract, leading the Ministry to pay at least GEL 2,138,000 more than it would have under the original tender. The Prosecutor’s Office maintains that these actions caused significant financial damage to the state and substantially violated its legitimate interests.
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Related story: Prosecutor’s Office: Ilia Gudushauri confesses to crime; bail requested
