On 6 September, the Georgian Prosecutors Office formally charged Nika Gvaramia, the former Rustavi2 TV Director General for embezzlement of the company’s property rights, amongst other charges.
“On the basis… of… evidence obtained in the course of the ongoing investigation, we are filing new charges against Nika Gvaramia – he is accused of a large-scale embezzlement of the property rights of Rustavi 2 broadcasting company, as well as… commercial bribery and production/use of counterfeit official documents, which caused significant damage”, a representative of the Prosecutor General's Office said at the briefing. The investigation alleges that he sold two apartments received by the company InterMedia Plus in 2017, earning a particularly large sum of GEL 602 521.8.
In addition to Nika Gvaramia, charges were filed against Kakha Damenia, the former financial director of the channel and Zurab Iashvili, the director of Intermedia Plus. Damenia is accused of violating a large amount of Rustavi2’s property rights, while Iashvili is accused of commercial bribery and production/use of counterfeit official documents.
“Today, at 18:00, I am summoned to the General Prosecutor's Office, where I have to face new charges. Life is wonderful in a democracy. Mtavari Arckhi (Main Channel) will start broadcasting anyway. Your attempts are senseless,” wrote Gvaramia on Facebook.
He also wrote that he will pay the GEL 40 000 bail ordered by the City Court. “Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow is the last day of my bail. My team is very nervous, potential investors are also concerned. My wife is getting more and more nervous every day. I would not pay the bail. It is your decision to pay the bail and I obey it. I will borrow money myself and I will pay the bail since you wish so, not me”, he wrote.
On 8 August, Gvaramia was already charged by the Prosecutors Office for abusing his power and making decisions which were harmful to the Rustavi2TV channel (Caucasus Watch reported). Two weeks later, on 22 August, Gvaramia announced the creation of a new channel in the country under the name “The Main Channel” under the slogan “Obtain Freedom with Us” (Caucasus watch reported).
