As part of the on-going training to prosecutors and investigators in Georgia, Arvinder Sambei and Paula Lavric (Orsin, Romania) delivered a two day training workshop on investigating corruption cases.
At the request of the General Prosecutors’ Office (GPO), the two day workshop was delivered through a combination of presentations and a practical case study which dealt with the following topics:
- Investigative techniques (analysis of each step of investigation) and strategy;
- Types of expertise used;
- Conducting undercover operations in relation to corruption offenses;
- Grounds to start prosecution;
- Body of evidence/standards;
- Admissibility/relevance of evidence and standards during trial;
- Preventive measures existed to fight against corruption;
- International cooperation/MLA;
- Any particularity of investigation of corruption cases in relation to foreign citizens;
- Evidence Gathering and use of evidence (direct/indirect evidence).
In addition to the issues identified by GPO, the practical exercise also considered practical aspects of managing a corruption case, including;
- Case management and the process of planning;
- Setting up the teams;
- Building investigation & prosecution strategies (investigation plan);
- Risk assessment and management – threats and vulnerabilities; how to mitigate the risks;
- Investigative techniques, including special investigation means;
- Evidence analysis;
- Trial issues: witness protection measures, ensuring a fair trial, expert evidence, presentation of financial evidence;
- Preventive measures and provisional measures;
