Former General Director of JSC Georgian Railways accused of embezzlement of public funds in large amount

Tbilisi City Court sentenced former General Director of JSC "Georgian Railways" Irakli Ezugbaia in absentia to pre-trial detention for a period of two months as a temporary measure of restriction. According to Ezugbaia's lawyer, the defendant is currently in the UK for study, and intends to return to Georgia after considering the court's decision.

The lawyer said the court decision will be challenged in the Court of Appeal.

It should be noted seven former employees of JSC "Georgian Railway", who were also involved in this case, have been released on bail.

The Investigation Service of the Georgian Ministry of Finance accuses Ezugbaia of embezzlement and misappropriation of public funds in a large amount. In addition to him, Director of Freight Service of the Georgian Railways David Jinjolia, his deputy Abel Giorgobiani, Deputy Chief of Department George Zhgenti, founder of the company "Vagonostroitel" Valery Tsilosani, as well as General Director Irakli Todua, Director Mamuka Dolidze and Vladimir Abuladze.

According to the investigators, Georgian Railways and the company "Vagonostroitel" signed five agreements in 2008, according to which the Georgian Railways fixed artificially increased cost of repair of a carriage in the amount of $29,000, although the real market cost of the repair of a carriage is 31,000 lari. Therefore, the detainees caused damage to the Georgian Railways in the amount of 65 million lari.

The investigation is underway under the part 3 of Article 182 of the Georgian Criminal Code, which envisages imprisonment from seven to 11 years.