“All witnesses confirmed that the expenses incurred by the Defense Ministry were necessary,” said Dimitri Khachidze, lawyer for former Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze, following a court hearing.

According to Khachidze, the amount paid by the ministry included not only the equipment cost but also its installation, room setup, and related expenses.

“The witnesses stated that the equipment in question, which the prosecution claims was purchased at an inflated price, required multiple stages for delivery and installation. If we calculate only the raw cost of the equipment, packaged and in storage, there might appear to be a difference. But, as the witness testified, installing and making this equipment fully operational involves significant additional costs, which are not included in the base price. The amount paid by the Defense Ministry, according to the contract, covered delivery, installation, room preparation, and everything else. The supplier stated that setting up the room costs approximately $100–200.

The witness presented cannot be considered a prosecution witness. Based on their testimony, the expenses incurred by the Defense Ministry - including installation, setup, and ongoing costs - were necessary. This was confirmed by all witnesses,” the lawyer said.

For context, according to the prosecution, in 2023 Juansher Burchuladze allegedly abused his official position and, with the assistance of his deputy, a relative, and the former head of the Defense Ministry’s Procurement Department, sold a medical device to the military hospital for 3,940,000 GEL instead of 2,606,272 GEL, causing a financial loss of 1,333,728 GEL to the ministry.

Additionally, in March 2025, Burchuladze and his spouse purchased property in Spain for 544,000 euros. To conceal and disguise the origin of these funds and to legalize the property, they allegedly executed a fictitious purchase agreement for real estate in Daba Tskneti with a third party.