Two Detained on Bribing, Threatening Late District Election Commission Head

The Interior Ministry of Georgia said on November 7 that the police detained two persons on charges of offering a bribe, threatening, and coercing late Thedore Gobejishvili, Isani District Election Commission Head.

Gobejishvili, 43, passed away earlier on November 7, a week after the hotly-contested October 31 parliamentary election.

The Ministry stated that the two detainees met with Gobejishvili on November 6 on behalf of one of the political parties and offered him to announce his resignation in a public address and that elections had been rigged, in exchange for USD 50,000.

According to the Interior Ministry, after being rejected by Gobejishvili, the two detainees threatened him with retaliation and attempted to coerce him to agree to the proposal.

The Ministry launched a probe under articles 339 (I), 151 (II), and 150 (II), involving bribery, threatening committed by a group, and coercion by a group, respectively. The first two charges envisage imprisonment for up to three years, while the third foresees up to 18 months of jail.

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