According to lawyer Khatuna Khurtsilava, there is a very high expectation that a plea agreement will be concluded with the former Minister of Defense, Juansher Burchuladze. Accordingly, the lawyer believes that the agreement will be reached. The lawyer made this statement to journalists before the start of the court session at the Court of Appeal. Today, the first hearing on Burchuladze’s case is being held at the Court of Appeal.

According to Khatuna Khurtsilava’s assessment, the defense believes that the verdict issued by Tbilisi City Court against the former Minister of Defense is unsubstantiated, which is why it was appealed.

“There is a very high expectation of a plea agreement and I think the agreement will happen. In any case, we have the desire to reach an agreement. Yes, we applied late regarding the plea agreement, but we have time in the Court of Appeal for an agreement to be reached on the terms, which we will present to Mr. Juansher, and by mutual consent, a plea agreement may be concluded. I do not want to disclose Mr. Juansher’s position for now,” Khatuna Khurtsilava stated.

For reference, Tbilisi City Court found the former Minister of Defense Juansher Burchuladze, his former deputy Giorgi Khaindrava, Burchuladze’s brother-in-law Vasil Mkheidze, and the former head of the Defense Ministry’s Procurement Department, Vladimir Gudushauri, guilty. This decision was made by Judge Irakli Khuskivadze of Tbilisi City Court.

By his verdict, Juansher Burchuladze was sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment. He was also deprived of property — a land plot in Spain with a house on it, as well as a house and a parking lot in the town of Tskneti — and was banned from holding public office for 2 years.

Juansher Burchuladze had been charged under subparagraph “g” of part 3 of Article 194 and part 2 of Article 332 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which implies abuse of official powers and legalization of illegal income.