Charges Filed Against Former Head of Gndevaz Community and His Son in Formal Auction Case

In July 2019, a criminal case was initiated regarding alleged abuses committed by the former head of the Gndevaz community in the Vayots Dzor region. The preliminary investigation was carried out by the Chief Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of Armenia. This information was reported by the Investigative Committee.

As a result of extensive investigative and procedural actions conducted in the criminal case, it was revealed that the former head of the Gndevaz community, during his tenure from September 2012 to October 2016, aware that a private company was planning to acquire land in the community and was prepared to pay a high price for it, intended to acquire communal property in that area under the name of his son through a formal auction, then sell it to the company at a significantly higher price.

Specifically, the former head of the community, during a council meeting convened on March 27, 2014, obtained consent from the council to alienate the land and registered his underage son, lacking civil capacity, as a participant in the auction. The son won the auction held on May 6, 2014, and acquired the right to purchase the specified land for 410,130 AMD. Subsequently, on May 26, 2015, the same land was sold to the private company for an astonishingly high price of 147,300,838 AMD, thereby facilitating his father's actions, which resulted in a financial loss of 146,890,708 AMD to the Gndevaz community.

Based on sufficient evidence collected, charges have been filed against the former head of Gndevaz under Article 308, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of Armenia (abuse of official powers), while his son is charged under Article 38-308, Part 2 of the Criminal Code (aiding in the abuse of official powers).

During the investigation, the former head of Gndevaz has transferred a total of 70,000,000 AMD to the investigative committee's deposit account as compensation for the damages caused by the crime. Additionally, a decision has been made to impose a lien on his property. The preliminary investigation has been completed, and the criminal case has been sent to the prosecutor overseeing the legality of the investigation with an accusatory conclusion.