Two detained for not reporting crime, giving false testimony in detained ruling party officials’ case

The head of Economic Policy and Service Management Service under Zugdidi Municipality City Hall Tengiz Kobalia and citizen Khuta B. have been detained by the Anti-Corruption Agency of the Georgian State Security Service for not reporting a crime and giving a false testimony regarding the corruption case of former Zugdidi Mayor Lasha Gogia.

The Investigation established that Kobalia was aware of a particularly serious crime committed by the mayor of Zugdidi Municipality Lasha Gogia and vice-mayor of Zugdidi Municipality Gia Gulordava and failed to report it to the law-enforcement authorities, whilst Khuta B., in order to conceal the particularly serious crime committed by Gulordava, provided the investigation with false information on purpose,” the State Security Service reported.

The crime carries a three to seven year sentence.

Gulordava and his deputy were detained in November this year on charges of financial crimes.

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.

Gogia and Gulordava quit their posts on 12 September when the agency started studying the case. They do not admit to the crime.