Employees of the Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia, as a result of operational-search activities and investigative measures, have detained two individuals in connection with two corruption cases. This was reported by the Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance.

“During measures carried out in coordination with the Prosecutor’s Office of the Samegrelo–Zemo Svaneti region, one person was detained on charges of commercial bribery.

The investigation established that the accused, who worked at the Service Center of the Poti Municipality City Hall (a non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal entity under public law), abused his official position for personal gain and unlawfully demanded and received 400 lari from a citizen in exchange for performing work on a land plot using special equipment owned by the municipality.

The case is being investigated under Part 3 of Article 221 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which provides for imprisonment from 2 to 4 years.

Another individual was detained by Investigation Service officers on charges of demanding and receiving a bribe.

The investigation established that a ranger of the Javakheti Protected Areas of the Agency of Protected Areas of Georgia demanded and received a bribe of 600 lari from a citizen in exchange for allowing the extraction of fertile soil layer from a state forest area. The suspect was detained at the moment of receiving the money.

The case is being investigated under Part 1 of Article 338 of the Criminal Code of Georgia, which provides for imprisonment from 6 to 9 years.

The Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia stated that it will continue to pursue a strict criminal policy against crimes in the financial-economic sphere and corruption.”