The court hearing of former Deputy Head of the State Security Service (SSS) Levan Akhobadze has been closed to the public. Judge Irakli Shvangiradze ruled that the proceedings would be held behind closed doors, granting the prosecution’s motion.

According to state prosecutor Ani Lekviashvili, the case concerns charges against a high-ranking official, and witnesses are to be questioned whose personal data must be protected. Accordingly, the prosecutor requested that the hearing be closed.

The defense opposed the motion, with the lawyers requesting that the proceedings remain open to the public.

As for Levan Akhobadze, before the hearing was closed, in response to the judge’s question as to whether he agreed with his lawyers’ motion, he simply said, “Yes.” He also told one of his relatives in the courtroom from the defendant’s bench that he was the only one left who had not been imprisoned. The judge reprimanded Akhobadze and told him that such exchanges from the defendant’s bench were prohibited.

Levan Akhobadze’s preliminary hearing is currently underway at the Tbilisi City Court.

At today’s hearing, the court will consider the admissibility of the evidence. The court will also review the pre-trial detention imposed on Akhobadze and decide whether the case should proceed to a substantive trial.

For reference, former Deputy Head of the State Security Service Levan Akhobadze was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Agency of the State Security Service. Akhobadze has been detained on charges of accepting an especially large bribe.

According to the investigation, the former Deputy Head of the State Security Service promised an entrepreneur, through intermediaries, to assist in recovering money, in exchange for which he demanded a bribe of GEL 500,000. Ultimately, the parties agreed on the transfer of GEL 250,000.

The detainee was charged under Article 338, Part 3, Subparagraph “E,” of the Criminal Code of Georgia, concerning a public official’s direct demand for and acceptance of money in exchange for taking an action in the interests of the bribe-giver and using their official authority to achieve a similar purpose, committed in an especially large amount. The offense carries a prison sentence of 11 to 15 years.