Bridge Collapse in Georgia Linked to Corruption: The Akkord Case

The Georgian Prosecutor’s Office has announced charges of corruption and fraud related to the collapse of a state-funded bridge that was under construction. The work was being done by the Azerbaijani construction company Akkord.

The investigation, which is being handled by the Anti-Corruption Criminal Division, is centered on a road project that started in 2018.

Charges and Accused People

Five people have been charged in the case.

Levan Kupatashvili, the former Deputy Chairman of the Roads Department, has been arrested. He is charged with abuse of power and taking money illegally, which could mean up to 11 years in prison.

Four other people are being searched for. They have been charged in absentia and could face up to nine years in prison for forgery and taking money illegally. These individuals include an unnamed director and two project managers from Akkord, as well as the chief engineer of the international group in charge of the project.

The Bridge Incident and Claims of Fraud

The bridge, part of the Samtredi-Grigoleti highway in Western Georgia, was damaged by a flood and then collapsed during construction in February 2023. No one was hurt.

The Prosecutor’s Office says the collapse was caused by large-scale fraud:

Fake Documents: People from Akkord are said to have faked inspection papers for construction work that was never actually done. An expert from the international group confirmed the fake documents.

Illegal Use of Funds: Levan Kupatashvili is accused of using his position to approve these documents and allow a payment of 1,172,539 Lari (about $427,935 USD) to the specialist.

Payment for Poor Work: Prosecutors also say that Akkord illegally got an extra 3,859,678 Lari (about $1.4 million USD) for work that was not completed or was poorly done, which they believe led to the bridge's collapse.

The state's total costs, including recovery and repairs, are thought to be more than 16 million Lari (over $5.8 million USD).

Akkord Company Info

The ownership of Akkord and its Georgian branch is not very clear. Corporate info in Azerbaijan has been considered a commercial secret since 2012.

However, Georgian documents from 2022 show that 51% of the main Azerbaijani Akkord company is owned by VIP Estate, with the other 49% owned by Darya Valiyev, the chairman of the company’s Supervisory Board. VIP Estate was previously linked to Solos LLC, whose legal representative was businessman Ashraf Kamilov.

Kamilov is also known to have ties to AtaHolding, which is widely believed to be controlled by the family of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. This is important because Georgian media have reported on other unfinished or troubled Akkord projects in the country.