Agausian police raid office of former mayor

Author: Tsëzaris Ḱant́oni

Mšbuḱâ -Early on Saturday morning, the Agausian National Police (AREP) conducted a raid on the offices of Mayor Detsëbali Soboli (SD). Soboli had served as the mayor of Mšbuḱâ from 2018 until his resignation in 2022, shortly after winning his reelection bid. The mayor's resignation followed the online leak of documents that seemed to implicate him in several financial crimes.

A spokesperson for the AREP confirmed that the raid had taken place at two offices belonging to the former mayor, both located in Mšbuḱâ. In December of the previous year, the Agausian Prosecutor General's office formally indicted Soboli on two hundred and eighty charges. Prosecutors allege that the mayor accepted bribes and kickbacks, going so far as to use illicit funds to purchase everything from ordinary items to family vacations in Istanbul.

During his indictment hearing, Detsëbali Soboli pleaded not guilty to all charges. Although he was arrested, he later posted bail, which was set at 2.5 million euros. Soboli and his defense team adamantly deny all accusations, while the prosecution maintains that the evidence against him is overwhelming, emphasizing that they would not have indicted him on so many charges if they were not fully prepared to prove their validity.

Following the incident, both Soboli and his immediate family had their passports confiscated after his wife and eldest son were caught attempting to leave the country with an undisclosed amount of cash in euros and Pûli.

This case represents Alexandre Daribanini's, Agausia's Prosecutor General, second major corruption case since assuming office in 2020. In a press release following the initial indictment, Daribanini stated, "This case brings to light the darker side of corruption, further cementing our commitment to upholding justice and restoring faith in our legal system."

 (Agausian Translation)

Šabatsëâ dilit, Agûsës Erovnulma Ṕolitsëâ (AREP) čaat́ara reidi meris Detsëbali Soboli (sd) opisebši. Soboli 2018 tsëlidan msakurobda mšbûas meris tanamdebobaze 2022 tsëls gadaǵomamde, kelakla arčevnebši gamaržvebis šemdeg. Meris gadaǵoma mohḱva doḱument́ebis onlain gažonvas, romlebitsëâ, rogortsëâ čans, mas ramdenime pinansur današûlši asakelebdnen.

AREP-is sṕiḱerma daadast́ura, rom darbeva mokda or opisši, romlebitsëâ eḱutvnoda ḱopil meris, orive mdebareobs Mšbuḱâ-ši. gasuli tsëlis deḱemberši Agûsës generalurma ṕroḱurat́uram Sobolis opitsëalurad brali oras otkmotsëi braldebaši tsëûḱena. Ṕroḱurorebi amt́ḱitsëben, rom meri iǵebda krtams da anazǵûrebas da mivida ikamde, rom gamoiḱena ûḱanono tankebi ḱvelapris šesaženad, čveulebrivi nivtebidan datsëḱebé Ist́ambolši saožako ardadegebamde.

Sabraldebo dasḱvnis gankilvisas Detsëbali Soboli ûdanašûlod tsëno ḱvela braldebaši. Miukedavad imisa, rom is daaḱaves, mogvânebit man girao gadaikada, romelitsëâ 2,5 milioni evros odenobit ganisazǵvra. Soboli da misi datsëvis žgupi ḱat́egoriulad ûarḱopen ḱvela braldebas, kolo braldebis mkare amt́ḱitsëbs, rom mis tsënaaǵmdeg mt́ḱitsëbulebebi mravlobitâ da khazgasmit aǵnišnavs, rom isini ar tsëaḱenebdnen mas amden braldebas, tu ar iknebodnen mzad mati martebulobis dasamt́ḱitsëblad.

Intsëdent́is šemdeg Soboli da mis ûakloes ožaks čamórtves ṕasṕort́ebi mas šemdeg, ratsëâ misi tsëli da ûprosi važi daaḱaves kveḱnidan gasvlis mtsëdelobisas gûrḱveveli odenobit naǵdi pulit evroši da Pûli.

 

Es sakme tsëarmóǵens Alexandre Daribanini, Agûzis generalur ṕroḱurors, meore mskhvil ḱoruptsëâ sakmes 2020 tsëls tanamdebobis daḱavebis šemdeg. Ṕresrelizši tavdaṕirveli sabraldebo dasḱvnis šemdeg, daribaninma tkva: „Es sakme asakavs ḱoruptsës bnel mkares, ratsëâ ḱidev ûpro ažlërebs čvens valdebulebas daitsëavs. Samartlânoba da rtsëmenis aǵǵena čveni samartlebrivi sist́emis mimart“.