Abuses Involving the Head of the Baghramyan Community

The preliminary investigation into the cases of apparent abuses that occurred in the Baghramyan community has been concluded by the regional investigative department of the Investigative Committee of Armenia in the Armavir region. Charges have been brought against three individuals.

As a result of extensive investigative and procedural actions conducted during the preliminary investigation of the criminal case, it was established that the head of the Baghramyan community, who has held this position since 2016 and is a public official, misappropriated and misused funds during their tenure by utilizing their official position. They also forged official documents.

Specifically, the head of the Baghramyan community submitted for discussion and approval at the council meetings in 2017 and 2018 the issue of allocating funds and signing contracts for expenses outlined in the 2017 and 2018 budgets to purchase seedlings for the community, for the reconstruction of community roads, and for the renovation of irrigation water lines, signing contracts with appropriate individual entrepreneurs.

Based on these contracts, a portion of the funds transferred from the community's account to the accounts of the individual entrepreneurs was retained as tax payments at the request of the community leader, while the remaining amount was cashed out and given to the community leader. The latter spent part of these funds for the improvement of the community's roads and for obtaining seedlings, while the larger and significant amounts were embezzled through misappropriation.

Thereafter, motivated by selfish interests to conceal the facts of misuse resulting from the above transactions, the community leader certified and presented false data containing false information about the work carried out according to the contracts, via official acts and reports verified with their signature and seal, which were then submitted to the accounting department of the community mayor's office.

Additionally, by using their official position, the community leader reached preliminary agreements with the head and the accountant of the Baghramyan community music school regarding the misappropriation of property through wastefulness and committing official forgery. As a result, the head of the music school and the accountant, by not attending work from December 2017 to August 2018 and from January 2018 to August 2018, respectively, enabled the community accountant to compile a payroll list containing false data during these periods, leading to the theft of substantial sums of money transferred as salaries.

Based on the collected ample evidence, the head of the Baghramyan community has been charged under Article 179, part 2, clause 1 of the RA Criminal Code and Article 314, part 1 (3 episodes), Article 179, part 2, clauses 1 and 3, and Article 314, part 1 (2 episodes), Article 179, part 2, clauses 1, 2, and 3, and Article 314, part 1, and Article 179, part 2, clauses 1 and 2, and Article 314, part 1 of the Criminal Code of Armenia. One of the individual entrepreneurs has been charged under Article 38-314, part 1 (2 episodes), and the community accountant under Article 179, part 2, clauses 1, 2, and 3, and Article 314, part 1, and Article 179, part 2, clauses 1 and 2, and Article 314, part 1. A signature not to leave the country has been chosen as a measure of restraint for them. Criminal prosecution has been terminated for two individual entrepreneurs and the head of the music school based on effective repentance.

As a result of the mentioned apparent criminal acts, the damage caused to the state was fully restored during the preliminary investigation.