Georgia’s Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance has accused former Deputy Minister of Internally Displaced Persons, Labor, Health and Social Affairs Ilia Gudushauri of abusing his official authority by unlawfully terminating a public procurement tender and announcing a new one designed to benefit a single company.
Speaking at a briefing, Deputy Head of the Investigation Service Department Guga Tavberidze said Gudushauri had been arrested on charges of abuse of power. Investigation says Gudushauri sought to grant an unlawful advantage to a preferred company during the procurement process for emergency medical service vehicles.
Investigators said that on September 27, 2022, the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons, Labor, Health and Social Affairs announced a tender for the purchase of ambulances, with the final beneficiary being the Legal Entity of Public Law Emergency Situations Coordination and Urgent Assistance Center. Three companies participated in the tender, and the winner was selected based on the lowest bid, amounting to GEL 8,525,876.
However, the Investigation Service claims that the tender was later unlawfully cancelled on the direct instruction of Gudushauri, who at the time also served as chair of the ministry’s procurement tender commission. Investigators say he abused his official powers in order to favor another company.
The investigation further established that on May 10, 2023, a new tender was announced at Gudushauri’s instruction. The tender conditions were allegedly tailored to a single pre-selected bidder, effectively preventing other companies from participating. As a result, the ministry allegedly paid the chosen company GEL 2,138,196 without proper grounds, causing significant damage to the state’s lawful interests.
Criminal proceedings have been launched under Article 332(2) of Georgia’s Criminal Code, which concerns abuse of official authority. The Investigation Service said it continues intensive operational and investigative measures aimed at identifying and holding accountable those involved in corruption-related crimes, as well as preventing similar offences in the future.
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