Former Georgian deputy minister freed on bail amid abuse-of-power charges

Former Georgian Deputy Minister of Health Ilia Gudushauri has been released on bail by a court ruling, with the bail set at 500,000 lari ($185,874).

The prosecution requested that Gudushauri’s identification documents and passport be confiscated, Caliber.Az reports, citing Georgian media.

Both the defense and the accused accepted the court’s decision.

Gudushauri faces charges under Part 2 of Article 332 of the Georgian Criminal Code, relating to abuse of official powers. The former deputy minister has acknowledged the charges brought against him.

The Investigation Service reports that while serving as head of the Health Ministry’s tender commission, Gudushauri artificially terminated a 2022 tender for the purchase of ambulances, despite the tender having already produced a winning bidder.

Following his instructions, a new tender was announced in 2023, with conditions reportedly tailored to favor a specific company. The ministry subsequently paid the company 2.1 million Georgian lari ($780,600) without justification, the Investigation Service said.

Gudushauri served as Deputy Minister of Health from January 2022 to March 2024.

By Vafa Guliyeva