Former Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure Koba Gabunia, who was arrested yesterday, served in the ministry from 2019 until the spring of 2025. He left his position following the dismissal of then-Minister Irakli Karseladze. According to the Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance, Gabunia is accused of abuse of official authority, allegedly linked to the Municipal Development Fund (MDF) and unsubstantiated advance payments made to the company “Lagi Capital” for a kindergarten rehabilitation project. The firm reportedly embezzled the funds. The investigation also included a search of former Minister Karseladze’s home.
According to data published by the Anti-Corruption Bureau, Koba Gabunia filed his property declaration shortly after leaving office. The declaration shows that he owns several real estate properties in Tbilisi, including apartments and a garage, one of which was purchased during his tenure as deputy minister. Specifically, Gabunia owns a 40.7-square-meter apartment on Titsiani Tabidze Street, bought in 2011 for USD 30,000, and a 69-square-meter apartment on Gori Street in Ikalto, purchased in 2022 for USD 60,000, along with a garage at the same address worth USD 2,000.
His wife, Maka Gventsadze, owns a 343-square-meter house in Kutaisi, which she received as a gift in 2021. The couple’s financial assets appear modest - Gabunia reported 1,104 GEL in his bank account, while Gventsadze had only a few hundred GEL. In 2024, Gabunia earned GEL 93,030 as Deputy Minister, while Gventsadze received GEL 63,000 from her work at the National Energy and Water Regulatory Commission.
The declaration also reveals that Gabunia has an active mortgage loan of GEL 200,000, valid until 2042. The family does not own securities, shares in companies, or movable property exceeding GEL 10,000, according to the publicly available document.
