Lawyer of Anzor Jamalashvili, who was detained in the “Georgian Railway” case, says he does not plead guilty and claims that scrap metal was transported to various locations using his rented trailers, which he says he does not consider a crime
According to the statement of Gela Nikolaishvili, the lawyer of one of the individuals detained by the Anti-Corruption Service of the State Security Service (SSS), Anzor Jamalashvili does not consider himself guilty.
Nikolaishvili says it is unclear to Jamalashvili what exactly he is being accused of by the investigation.
According to him, the detainee is demanding that formal charges be promptly presented and that the evidence, which the prosecution considers the basis of the accusation, be handed over to him.
“I met with the detainee. His position remains the same as it was a month ago, when he was questioned as a witness: ‘If I am to be held responsible for my own trailers, which I rented out and with which scrap metal was transported to various locations — I see no crime in this,’ he said. As I understand, there are hundreds of locations where scrap metal was stored by the management or employees of the railway, and they will not find a single place where I personally was present,” the lawyer said. According to him, it is unclear to Jamalashvili what he is accused of. He is urging that charges be formally presented in a timely manner and that the prosecution disclose the evidence forming the basis of the case against him.
He does not consider himself guilty and says he has proper documentation for purchases, rentals, and deliveries.
“I had no communication with the management officials, not even acquaintance,” the lawyer stated.
For context, the Anti-Corruption Service of the State Security Service has brought criminal charges against the former General Director of JSC “Georgian Railway,” Davit Peradze, and seven other individuals. Two of them, including Peradze, have been declared wanted, while the rest were detained in Tbilisi based on a court ruling.
The investigation is being conducted under several articles of the Criminal Code of Georgia, including articles 180 (fraud), 194 (money laundering), 210 (forgery of documents), as well as related complicity provisions, carrying penalties of 9 to 12 years of imprisonment.
The Anti-Corruption Agency of the State Security Service continues active investigative actions to identify other members of the organized group and apply legal measures against them.
Davit Peradze served as the General Director of JSC “Georgian Railway” from November 22, 2017, to May 7, 2025.
