Preliminary Investigation on Multi-Episode Criminal Case Initiated on Facts of Committing Abuses by High-Ranking Official of RA Ministry of Defense in Complicity with Other Persons under Martial Law Completed
As a result of a comprehensive investigation of the criminal case initiated in the Investigation Department of the RA NSS, a combination of interrelated, reliable and sufficient evidence was obtained, which substantiated that H.D., a high-ranking official of the Military Control Service of the Ministry of Defense of RA, for the period from September 2020 to January 2021 showed unlawful behavior by committing 12 episodes of grave and especially grave crimes.
In particular, H.D. demanded and received various bribes from a number of citizens, including in large and especially large amounts - a total of about 8 million AMD, abused his power and official position in order not to send to the front line the persons in compulsory military service, as well as those, called up within the framework of mobilization, to perform military service in their preferred military subdivision, to assist in the issue of unauthorized leaving of the place of service, in the transfer of an employee of the RA Ministry of Defense to their preferred place of work, etc., and as a result of such actions, he caused significant damage to the normal process of fulfilling the tasks the military subdivisions face, the combat units of the subdivisions were undermined, the normal process of organizing the mobilization and recruitment of military personnel called up for mobilization during martial law was disrupted.
At the same time, with the necessary accumulation of evidence obtained during the preliminary investigation of the criminal case, it was substantiated that in October-November 2020, an official of the RA Ministry of Defense, having the rank of colonel, while on duty in Goris city, Syunik province, committed theft of property in especially large size: secretly stole a UAZ car allocated to the RA Ministry of Defense during martial law, owned by “Gazprom Armenia” CJSC, worth 3.680.000 AMD.
According to the evidence obtained in the criminal case, a total of 22 persons were involved as defendants, in relation to 13 of them the criminal case was separated into a separate proceeding, and on 12 November, 2021, the indictment was sent to the prosecutor supervising the legality of the preliminary investigation, for its approval and referral to the court, and for the rest of the episodes, the preliminary investigation continues.
Note: The suspect or accused of an alleged crime is considered innocent as long as his guilt is not proven in a manner prescribed by the Code of Criminal Procedure of RA - by the court decision entered into legal force.