TBILISI, February 17 (RAPSI) – The Kutaisi court on Monday sentenced former Georgian Prime Minister Vano Merabishvili to five years in prison in the fraudulent job offers case, RIA Novosti reports.

Merabishvili was sentenced along with former Labor, Health and Social Security Minister Zurab Chiaberashvili. Both men have been accused of giving fictitious jobs to hundreds of United National Movement activists who were involved in the party's parliamentary election campaign in 2012.

Merabishvili was also charged with bribing the electorate and embezzling public funds.

Merabishvili is said to have ordered a large-scale operation against a rally held in Tbilisi in May 2011. The demonstrators demanded the resignation of President Mikhail Saakashvili and planned to disrupt the Independence Day Parade. The rally was dispersed by the police, who used water cannons, tear gas, rubber bullets and clubs.

The riot police attacked the protesters when the sanctioned time for the rally ran out. Four people reportedly died during the operation, including one protester and one policeman, who were hit by the opposition leaders' cars. Two other persons, whose bodies were found on the roof of a one-storey shop, died of electric shock, according to the investigators.

These charges will be added to earlier corruption charges.