Criminal prosecution brought against 99 civil servants for corruption in 9 months of 2023

The Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia launched an investigation in 117 criminal cases committed in the civil sector and criminal prosecution against 99 civil servants for corruption over the nine months of 2023, the state body said on Saturday.

Seventy-eight individuals were found guilty of corruption in the civil sector by the court during the 9 months, the body stated on International Anti-Corruption Day, marked annually since the adoption of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption in 2003.

Ten of the civil servants were high-ranking officials at the time of committing the crime, the body added.

The Prosecutor’s Office also initiated an investigation on five reports, out of nine, sent from the State Audit Office, which is the supreme audit institution promoting legal, efficient and effective spending of public funds.

The effective fight against corruption is an especially important task in a democratic society, as corruption threatens the rule of law, democracy and human rights”, the Prosecutor’s Office said.

The state body also noted that fighting corruption was named as “one of the main priorities” in the 2022-2027 strategy and action plan of the Office, stressing this crime deserves “special attention due to its specificity and the degree of public danger”.