Romeo Mikautadze, former Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development, remains in custody. The decision was made by Judge Mzia Garshaulishvili of Tbilisi City Court.

As the pre-investigation period in the case was extended, the imposed preventive measure—detention—was reviewed and upheld.

The prosecution requested that the strict preventive measure of detention remain in effect.

According to prosecutor Irakli Marshania, the grounds for applying pretrial detention still stand. He stated that numerous investigative actions remain to be conducted, including questioning many witnesses. In addition, properties need to be identified and their origins examined. If released, Mikautadze could potentially influence witnesses with whom he has close connections.

Furthermore, the prosecutor noted that due to the severity of the expected punishment, Mikautadze might attempt to flee. “He has connections abroad and owns property in Spain,” said Marshania.

Relatives and family members of Mikautadze were present in the courtroom.

The judge gave a verbal warning to Mikautadze’s wife and told her she would be removed from the courtroom if she did not stop making remarks.

“He’s her husband—sorry, she couldn’t hold back,” Mikautadze responded to the judge.

The defense disagreed with the prosecution’s motion. As stated by defense attorney Malkhaz Salaqaia, there were no grounds for keeping the defendant in detention.

“The defendant is locked in a cell, completely cut off from communication. You were surprised by the wife’s emotion, but since the day of his arrest, this is the first time she’s seen him—she hadn’t even heard his voice…” Salaqaia said.

The lawyer requested Mikautadze’s release on 100,000 GEL bail. He also proposed additional restrictive measures, including mandatory appearances before investigative authorities and electronic monitoring.

However, the judge granted the prosecution’s motion.

For context: According to the Prosecutor’s Office, Romeo Mikautadze systematically abused his official authority, resulting in the acquisition of particularly large amounts of income.

Specifically, investigators allege that the defendant, with the help of individuals connected to him through criminal ties, illegally and unjustifiably laundered 2,556,192 GEL in income.

The former First Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development was arrested on June 20. He is charged under Article 332, Part 2 and Article 194, Part 3, Subparagraph "g" of the Georgian Criminal Code, which carry a sentence of up to 12 years in prison.