Head of Tskaltubo City Assembly detained for bribery

Head of the Tskaltubo City Assembly in western Georgia Grigol Ivaneishvili has been detained by the Anti-Corruption Department of the Georgian State Security Service (SSS) for bribe-taking in especially large quantities.

The crime is punishable by 11-15 years in prison.

The State Security Service says that the detainee took a bribe worth 250,000 GEL ($93,000) from a foreign businessman who wanted to buy a former building of the Tskaltubo City Assembly and its land plot.

Ivaneishvili promised the foreign businessman to put up the former building of the Tskaltubo City Assembly on auction for a preliminary negotiated price and promised assistance in terms of purchasing the property,” SSS reported.

The agency says that in return, Ivaneishvili demanded the bribe which he received after the businessman won the tender.

The agency says  that Ivaneishvili was detained today as soon as the money was transferred to the bank account of his son.