State security service detains former Zugdidi Mayor and Vice Mayor

The news was announced at a briefing of the State Security Service today. Photo: State Security Service

Agenda.ge, 01 Nov 2018 - 18:11, Tbilisi,Georgia

Former Zugdidi Mayor Lasha Gogia and Vice Mayor Gia Gulordava have been detained on charges of financial crimes, the Georgian State Security Service confirms.

An investigation has been ongoing for one month, and has shown that Lasha Gogia and Gia Gulordava took large bribes.

The news was announced at a briefing of the State Security Service earlier today.

In the first half of 2018, Gogia and Gulordava took 21,500$ as a bribe from a citizen, promising to auction a land plot of Gulua Garden and railway station. In accordance with the agreement, USD 11,500 was intended for Gulua Garden on lease, while USD 10,000 was for letting the area of the railway station on lease. In May the same citizen gave Gia Gulordava USD 10,000 and in June transferred USD 11,500 to the bank account of Kh.B. as a bank transfer, following Gia Gulordava’s instruction”, the State Security Service said at a briefing today.

In September of this year, police questioned Lasha Gogia and Gia Gulordava within the framework of the investigation that was launched regarding corrupt deals.

Gogia and his deputy Gia Gulordava quit their posts on September 12 as the Georgian State Security Service launched an investigation concerning the corruption case.