The leader of the “Coalition for Change,” Nika Gvaramia, has been sentenced to imprisonment as a preventive measure by Judge Jvabe Nachkebia of the Tbilisi City Court.
At today’s hearing, the Prosecutor’s Office requested the replacement of the previously imposed bail of 30,000 GEL with imprisonment, citing Gvaramia’s failure to pay the amount within the 50-day deadline, which expired on June 7.
After a break requested by the defense, Gvaramia’s lawyer, Dimitri Sadzaglishvili, stated that, after consulting with his client, they would not object and left the decision to the judge’s discretion.
Gvaramia was not present at the hearing. Reportedly, he is en route to Rustavi No. 12 penitentiary facility.
The politician is facing charges under Article 349 of the Criminal Code of Georgia — failure to comply with a parliamentary investigative commission’s request — which is punishable by a fine or up to one year in prison, and/or disqualification from office for up to three years. He had been summoned to testify before the Parliament’s Temporary Investigative Commission but failed to appear.
