A court in Tbilisi has [sentenced](https://mtavari.tv/news/178239-oligarkis-sasamartlom-mikheil-saakashvils-ec) former Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili to nine years in prison after finding him guilty of large-scale embezzlement of public funds.
The case, known as the “jackets case,” also involved Teimuraz Janashia, the former head of Georgia’s Special State Protection Service. Prosecutors accused the two of misappropriating nine million lari ($3.2 million) in public funds. The court found Janashia guilty of abuse of power and fined him 300,000 lari ($108,000).
Saakashvili and Janashia have repeatedly denied the charges, calling the trial politically motivated, Ekho Kavkaza [reported](https://www.ekhokavkaza.com/a/saakashvili-prigovorili-k-9-godam-tyurjmy-za-rastratu-byudzhetnyh-sredstv/33344948.html).
Saakashvili had previously been sentenced to six years in prison. According to Mtavari TV, the new ruling extends his total prison term by three years.