64 Million Dram Damage Caused to Baghramyan Community; Charges Filed Against Community Leader

The investigation is ongoing at the Armavir regional investigative department of the RA Investigative Committee to clarify all circumstances of the alleged misappropriations by the Baghramyan community leader.

During the preliminary investigation of the criminal case, it was revealed that since taking office in the fall of 2016, the Baghramyan community leader has allegedly committed abuses. With the assistance of his brother-in-law, the former head of the Myasnikyan community, motivated by self-serving and group interests and with the intent to use his official position against the interests of the service, he caused significant damage to the rights and legitimate interests of a company implementing investments in the Republic of Armenia on behalf of the Baghramyan community. As a result, he negatively impacted the favorable environment established for foreign investments in the Republic of Armenia, thereby causing significant damage to the legitimate interests of the state, which has carelessly resulted in severe consequences.

According to the investigation, the community leader, being explicitly informed in his official capacity that the mentioned company wishes to expand its activities in Baghramyan and neighboring communities and acquire land parcels, provided warped information to the company's director and representatives regarding the types and ownership of rights registered on the land parcels in the community, with the aim of reselling the land under the community’s balance by intermediary means and at a higher price.

Specifically, at the end of August 2018, well aware that the information he was providing was not true, the community leader informed the deputy director of the company that there were no land parcels owned by the community for sale, aiming to prevent the mentioned company from participating in the auction process for the sale of land belonging to the community. A few days later, however, the community leader informed the deputy director of the mentioned company that one of the community residents was selling his land parcel, guiding him to contact his brother-in-law, who had no actual or legal connection to the land parcel in question, and who presented himself as a person authorized by the owner of the specified land parcel. The latter reached an oral agreement with the company's deputy director to sell 1 hectare for 1,100 USD, demanded a down payment, and received 4,845,000 AMD through bank transfer from the company, being confident that the auction for the land parcel would be formal and he would be declared the winner.

In November 2018, a preliminary sale agreement was signed for the agricultural land parcel for 71,489,000 AMD between the company and the person presented as an authorized person by the community leader's brother-in-law, after which he received part of the agreed amount, 20,000,000 AMD, via bank transfer.

During the preliminary investigation, it was revealed that in order to fulfill his intention to sell the land parcels by intermediary means, the community leader, within his authority, proposed and obtained the consent of the community council during the September 2018 session of the Armavir regional Baghramyan community council regarding the auction sale of the mentioned 132 hectares of land owned by the community, and on the same day, by the community leader's decision, an auction-sale was announced for the specified land parcels, setting a starting sale price of 67,500 AMD per hectare.

On November 16, 2018, at a formal auction organized in the Baghramyan community of Armavir region, the winner of the sale was the brother-in-law of the community leader, who a few days later sold the mentioned land parcel for 9,360,352 AMD. The land parcel purchased at auction was then resold to the mentioned company under a sales agreement, certified by a notary, and he also received the remaining 39,508,940 AMD on the same day, thereby causing a total material damage of 64,353,940 AMD to the community.

Based on sufficient evidence obtained from the investigation, charges have been filed against the Baghramyan community leader under Article 308 (abuse of official powers) of the RA Criminal Code. An application has been submitted to the court to impose detention as a preventive measure, which was rejected by the court. The investigation continues.

Notice: A person suspected or accused of a crime is considered innocent until proven guilty by a court ruling that has entered into legal force in accordance with the procedure established by the RA criminal procedure code.