The Tbilisi City Court has sentenced the third president, Mikheil Saakashvili, to 9 years in prison for the embezzlement of budgetary funds, while the former head of the SDS, Teimuraz Janashia, has been fined 300,000 GEL.

The verdict was announced by Judge Badri Kochlamazashvili.

The prosecution accused Saakashvili and Janashia of embezzling a large amount of budgetary funds—9 million GEL—as part of a group scheme.

Neither of the defendants, Mikheil Saakashvili and Teimuraz Janashia, appeared at the hearing. According to the judge, the penitentiary service submitted a report stating that Saakashvili did not wish to join the session remotely and requested a postponement until his recovery.

It is noteworthy that both individuals plead not guilty to the charges against them.