The lawyer of former Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze, Dimitri Khachidze, stated that Burchuladze considers himself innocent. The lawyer made this statement to journalists before entering the State Security Service (SSS) building, where the detained former minister is being held and where charges will be formally presented to him today.
“I cannot tell you why the presentation of charges was delayed; that is for the prosecutor’s office to decide. They have a 48-hour period, and the main thing is that they meet this deadline. Juansher Burchuladze’s position has not changed; he considers himself innocent. They will present us with the charge document, we will review the remaining materials, and we will clarify what exactly we are being accused of,” said Dimitri Khachidze.
Regarding what Juansher Burchuladze attributes his detention to, the lawyer stated that they are not yet able to provide an answer on this matter.
“We cannot provide an answer on this yet; it requires some time,” said Dimitri Khachidze.
As for the accusation that the former Defense Minister purchased a house in Spain and did not declare it, the lawyer stated that proving the legitimate origin of the house is not an issue.
“Regarding the house, I would like to say that at the time [Juansher Burchuladze] was working in public service, his family members owned various properties at different times. Proving the legitimate origin of the house purchased in Spain poses no problem for us; we have provided explanations and submitted evidence. We have presented the investigation with evidence that he owns other real estate that was sold, and he has income,” said Dimitri Khachidze.
For reference, former Defense Minister Juansher Burchuladze has been detained. According to the State Security Service, Burchuladze was detained for abuse of official authority and legalization of illegal income, which involved obtaining a particularly large amount of income. Juansher Burchuladze faces imprisonment for 9 to 12 years.
According to available information, Juansher Burchuladze, who was placed in the “Helsicor” clinic following his detention, has been transferred to the State Security Service building
