Tbilisi City Court Started Substantial Discussion of Adeishvili’s Case

Salome Chkheidze

Tbilisi City Court started substantial discussion of the case on bankruptcy scheme against Cartu Bank, where former Minister of Justice Zurab Adeishvili, former Mtskheta-Mtianeti regional governor Tsezar Chocheli and 12 more persons are accused of.

Only two of the accused persons – former head of Revenue Service Jambul Ebanoidze and director general of the Interplasti Ltd Nika Kubaneishvili admitted their guiltiness. 

Zurab Adeishvili, Tsezar Chocheli, Jambul Ebanoidze, Nikoloz Melia, Davit Giorgadze, Grigol Morchiladze, Gocha Tskhenosnidze, Nugzar Sajaia, Laura Gachava, Nika Kubaneishvili, Vasil Chogigdze, Ilia Antidze, Davit Kogua, Levan Sakvarelidze and Irakli Taktakishvili are accused of the attempted bankruptcy of the Cartu Bank that was implemented through the abuse of professional authority, hiding property and fabricating documents.

Ministry of Internal Affairs spread statement about the case of the bankruptcy scheme of the Cartu Bank on December 17, 2012. “After the statement made by Bidzina Ivanishvili about his active enrolment in politics, representatives of the former government have drafted legislative amendments which was lately adopted by the Parliament. According to the amendments the state was authorized to sell the property of legal entities in case of discovering a debt ignoring the fact that properties were mortgaged in favor of banks.”

According to the criminal scheme businessmen, loyal to the government and with indebtedness of Cartu Bank, were forced to declare about their non-existing debt. After the declaration was made the mortgaged property was put out for an auction with no bidders and consequently properties had been sold by the Ministry of Economy to other companies in a symbolic price. It is also notable that mentioned companies were actually controlled by owners of the sold properties. Accordingly businessmen, who were involved in the illegal scheme and loyal to the government, did not lose any property and were even released from the responsibility of indebtedness from Cartu Bank the guarantee of which was the mortgaged property. 

With an intent to deprive Kartu Bank from re-buying its property in a reasonable price the auctions were artificially canceled under the guidance of Nikoloz Melia, the head of the National Bureau of Enforcement, owning to which the property was handed over to the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development. On its part the Ministry of Economy sold off property to other individuals under the decree of the President. Adoption of the mentioned law was aimed only at bankrupting Kartu Bank, the owner and beneficiary of which was Bidzina Ivanishvili,” the statement of the MIA reads.

Adeishvili did not attend the substantial discussion of the case. Currently he is hiding from the investigation. He left country in October, 2012 after the parliamentary elections. Investigation charged him in several episodes and one of them is related with bankruptcy scheme of Cartu Bank and the second is related with the scandalous footage about torture facts in prison.

Next trial on Cartu Bank’s case is scheduled at 11:00 am on October 22.