The preliminary investigation carried out under the criminal proceedings examined in the Anti-Corruption Committee of the Republic of Armenia established that the person holding the position of Head of Architecture and Urban Planning of Yerevan Municipality from 2010 to 2018 abused his official powers, committed official forgery, and legalized property of particularly large amounts obtained through criminal means.

In particular, on September 16, 2013, the mentioned official organized a formal auction-sale of a 0.0250 ha plot of land in the center of Yerevan and the preparation of a protocol with false content regarding it, as a result of which his close friend, who did not actually appear at the auction, was recognized as the winner, and the latter’s ownership right was registered based on the signed purchase and sale agreement.

In addition, the preliminary investigation revealed that the aforementioned official organized an illegal process of expanding the aforementioned land plot, not registering the presence of an unauthorized construction on the alienated land plot and not organizing the process of its legalization, as a result of which the community suffered particularly large property damage.

Then, abusing his official position, the aforementioned official organized and coordinated the process of issuing a construction permit for the construction of a multi-apartment building on the aforementioned land plot in violation of a number of urban construction norms, including by entering false information into an official document. Later, the multi-apartment building constructed in violation of urban construction norms, along with the adjacent 0.0445 ha land plot, was transferred to the aforementioned official’s family members free of charge in 2018 under a written donation agreement. Thus, the municipality official legalized property of particularly large amounts obtained through criminal means, worth a total of AMD 140,108,050.

For committing the above-mentioned criminal acts, the former official of Yerevan Municipality was charged under Article 190, Part 3, Clauses 1 and 3 of the former Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia (corresponding to Article 296, Part 3, Clauses 2 and 3 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia adopted on May 5, 2021), 4 episodes under Article 308, Part 2 (corresponding to Article 441, Part 2, Clause 2 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia adopted on May 5, 2021) and 2 episodes under Article 314, Part 1 (corresponding to Article 445, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Armenia adopted on May 5, 2021).

Charges were also brought against two persons who assisted in committing the above-mentioned crimes, including the son of the former municipal official. Home arrest, a ban on absence from the Republic of Armenia, and bail were applied to the three accused as combined measures of restriction. The preliminary investigation under the criminal proceedings has been completed, and the materials of the proceedings with the indictment have been sent to the supervising prosecutor with a motion to approve it and send it to the court.

Notification. the person accused of a crime is considered innocent until his guilt is proven in accordance with the procedure established by the RA Criminal Procedure Code by a verdict entered into legal force.