‘Lapterik’ Kindergarten Director Demanded Daily Ration from Chef: Details

The director of ‘Lapterik’ kindergarten has been charged by the Investigative Committee of Armenia under Article 179, Part 3, Clause 1 of the RA Criminal Code for embezzling a significant amount of food meant for the children entrusted to him, as well as for unlawfully using his official position to extort part of a monthly cash salary from a music instructor employed at the kindergarten, resulting in substantial property damage totaling 795,000 AMD.

Earlier reports indicated that the director, who has held the position since 2001, allegedly collaborated with a group of individuals and misappropriated food allocated for the kindergarten students from 2014 until January 17, 2019.

Under the pretext of maintaining a job security, the director required the kitchen chef to set aside specific portions of the supplies meant for preparing meals for the children. Driven by fear of losing his job, the chef complied with the director’s demands, regularly reserving food items, preparing incomplete dishes, and delivering them to the director's office either personally or through his assistant.

According to preliminary data, the food accumulated in the office was periodically removed by the director and misappropriated.

On January 17, 2019, as part of a legally mandated search, food items specifically set aside by the chef during the period of January 15-17, 2019, were discovered and seized from the director’s office.

On January 23, 2019, the lawyer representing the director submitted a payment document to the RA Investigative Committee’s escrow account, reflecting compensation for damages amounting to 20,000,000 AMD.

Considering that the kindergarten director has not been previously convicted, has cooperated with the investigation, acknowledged the charges, expressed remorse, and compensated for the damages while taking into account his current health condition, he has been released from detention. A signature barring his departure has been established as a preventive measure against him.

The preliminary investigation is ongoing.