Former Defense Minister Burchuladze arrested in Georgia

Tbilisi City Court has chosen detention as a preventive measure for former Georgian Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze, who is accused of corruption.

As reported by BAKU.WS with reference to Interpressnews, the decision to arrest was made by judge Ekaterina Barbakadze. The prosecution insisted on this outcome, while the defense lawyers proposed releasing the ex-minister on bail of 100 thousand lari (over 37 thousand dollars).

The State Security Service of Georgia detained Burchuladze on September 11. According to the investigation, he, along with several high-ranking officials of the Ministry of Defense and a relative, created non-competitive conditions for the purchase of an MRI machine. As a result, the equipment was purchased with state funds at a price of 3.94 million lari (about 1.5 million dollars), while its market value was 2.6 million lari (approximately 900 thousand dollars).

In addition, the investigation established that in January 2025, Burchuladze acquired a plot of land with a house in Spain worth more than 0.5 million euros, without declaring it. To conceal income, the ex-minister's family concluded a fictitious property donation agreement in Georgia in December 2024.

Burchuladze is charged with money laundering and abuse of official powers. If found guilty, he faces up to 12 years in prison.

Recall that he headed the Ministry of Defense from February 2021 to February 2024, after which he resigned. Earlier, in July, the State Security Service reported the detention of his former deputy Giorgi Khaindrava, as well as a relative and ex-employee of the department in a case involving the embezzlement of more than 1.3 million lari (about 500 thousand dollars).