Convicted former Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze has reached a plea agreement in the case for which he had been sentenced to 10 years in prison. Specifically, Juansher Burchuladze, his brother-in-law Vasil Mkheidze, and Burchuladze’s former deputy Giorgi Khaindrava reached plea agreements at the Court of Appeals.

Under the agreement, Vasil Mkheidze and Giorgi Khaindrava will leave the penitentiary facility at the end of September, while Juansher Burchuladze will leave prison exactly two years from now.

The Tbilisi Court of Appeals, as in the first-instance court’s ruling, found Juansher Burchuladze guilty of abuse of official powers and legalization of illegal income. The court also found Vasil Mkheidze guilty of assisting in the embezzlement of a large amount of money and influence peddling.

According to the second-instance court’s ruling, Giorgi Khaindrava was found guilty of embezzling a large amount of money.

Under the plea agreement, Burchuladze was sentenced to five years in prison, of which he will serve three years in a penitentiary facility, while the remaining two years will be suspended for the same probationary period. He was also fined GEL 1 million. Various types of property were also confiscated from him free of charge in favor of the state.

As for Vasil Mkheidze, he was sentenced to four years and two months in prison, of which he will serve one year and two months in a penitentiary facility, while the remaining three years will be suspended for the same probationary period. He was also fined GEL 100,000. In favor of the state, the items seized as evidence - several million GEL worth of untaxed cigarettes and materials used to manufacture them, as well as tobacco - will be confiscated.

As for Giorgi Khaindrava, he was also sentenced to four years and two months in prison, of which he will serve one year and two months in a penitentiary facility, while the remaining three years will be suspended for the same probationary period. He was also fined GEL 100,000.

The plea agreement reached between the parties was approved by a panel of judges chaired by Paata Silagadze.

At the court hearing, the prosecution submitted the position of the injured party, namely the Ministry of Defense, in writing. The ministry’s representative stated that it opposed concluding a plea agreement on the condition of compensation for the damage.

The basis for the plea agreements with Juansher Burchuladze and Vasil Mkheidze was their admission of guilt and cooperation with the investigation. Specifically, Juansher Burchuladze and Vasil Mkheidze provided testimony in a new criminal case against former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili. According to Burchuladze’s testimony, of the GEL 1.5 million he received as a bribe, he kept GEL 750,000 for himself and handed the remaining GEL 750,000 in cash to Irakli Garibashvili as a bribe.

For reference, under the first-instance court’s ruling, Juansher Burchuladze had been sentenced to 10 years in prison. According to the ruling, his property was also to be confiscated, including a plot of land and a house located in Spain, as well as a house and parking space in Tskneti, and he was prohibited from holding public office for two years.

As for Vasil Mkheidze and Giorgi Khaindrava, they had each been sentenced to eight years in prison by the City Court.

Juansher Burchuladze and his brother-in-law Vasil Mkheidze had also reached a plea agreement at the first-instance court in a separate case concerning the acceptance of a particularly large bribe by a group acting under prior agreement and assistance in receiving a bribe.

Under that agreement, Burchuladze was sentenced to five years in prison, of which he will serve three years in a penitentiary facility, while two years will be suspended for the same probationary period. He was also fined GEL 1 million.

As for Vasil Mkheidze, he was sentenced to four years and two months in prison, of which he will serve one year and two months in a penitentiary facility, while three years will be suspended for the same probationary period. He was also fined GEL 100,000.

The newly imposed sentences absorbed the sentences handed down by the Tbilisi City Court, and ultimately, the second-instance court’s ruling remained in force for all three convicted individuals.