Former provincial governor in Armenia to stand trial for abusing powers
28.09.2011,
00:13
Vardges Hovakimyan, former governor of Armenia’s Ararat province will be prosecuted for abusing powers.
YEREVAN, September 27. /ARKA/. Vardges Hovakimyan, former governor of Armenia’s Ararat province will be prosecuted for abusing powers.
The press service of the prosecutor general’s office reported Monday that investigation into the case has been completed and the case has been sent to court.
It has become clear after investigation that Hovakimyan provided a false information to Misak Santoyan, mayor of the village of Ginevet, that 30 hectares of state-owned lands intended for agricultural usage are industrial areas.
After that the village mayor convened a session of the village council to provide permission for construction on these 30 hectares.
On April 13, 2010, files containing false information were submitted to the territorial administration ministry for approval.
Without any governmental decision changing this lend plot’s category and without the territorial administration ministry’s authorization, Hovakimyan instructed Santoyan to hold a tender to lease this land for construction and announce the Land Resources Development Company the winner. This was done on May 5, 2010.
Investigators have also revealed abuses in repairing schools.
In particular, schools in Vedi, Noyakert and Vosketap were repaired between 2007 and 2010. The repair in Vedi was carried out by Manuela LLC, and in Noyakert and Voskepat by NNA Ltd.
It was Hovakimyan’s duty to distribute the budget funds provided to the province and to control spending. However, he didn’t do it, but signed a delivery and acceptance certificate instead.
As a result, E.Bazikyan, director of Manuela LLC, cooked the books pocketing AMD 23.7 million or $63,600, and N. Andreasyan, director of NNA company, embezzled about AMD 12.7 million or $34,000.
The preliminary investigation has also found that total amount of damages inflicted by abuses committed by Ararat province architectural and construction agency chief G Yeghiazaryan and urban planning agency chief R. Mkrtchyan as well as the former governor’s negligence in office was AMD 36.4 million or about $98,000. The damage was found thanks to inspections ordered by the finance ministry.
The damage inflicted by NNA company has already returned the whole sum to the government, while Manuela paid only AMD 8.3 million (about $22,000) of the damage caused.
The collected evidence gave ground for charging Hovakimyan with abuse of powers, forgery of office documents and negligence.
Mkrtchyan, Yeghiazaryan are charged with abuse of powers and Santoyan is charged with the same offence and also with forgery of office documents. Bazikyan will be prosecuted for gross fraud and paper forgery and Andreasyan for gross fraud. -0-
The press service of the prosecutor general’s office reported Monday that investigation into the case has been completed and the case has been sent to court.
It has become clear after investigation that Hovakimyan provided a false information to Misak Santoyan, mayor of the village of Ginevet, that 30 hectares of state-owned lands intended for agricultural usage are industrial areas.
After that the village mayor convened a session of the village council to provide permission for construction on these 30 hectares.
On April 13, 2010, files containing false information were submitted to the territorial administration ministry for approval.
Without any governmental decision changing this lend plot’s category and without the territorial administration ministry’s authorization, Hovakimyan instructed Santoyan to hold a tender to lease this land for construction and announce the Land Resources Development Company the winner. This was done on May 5, 2010.
Investigators have also revealed abuses in repairing schools.
In particular, schools in Vedi, Noyakert and Vosketap were repaired between 2007 and 2010. The repair in Vedi was carried out by Manuela LLC, and in Noyakert and Voskepat by NNA Ltd.
It was Hovakimyan’s duty to distribute the budget funds provided to the province and to control spending. However, he didn’t do it, but signed a delivery and acceptance certificate instead.
As a result, E.Bazikyan, director of Manuela LLC, cooked the books pocketing AMD 23.7 million or $63,600, and N. Andreasyan, director of NNA company, embezzled about AMD 12.7 million or $34,000.
The preliminary investigation has also found that total amount of damages inflicted by abuses committed by Ararat province architectural and construction agency chief G Yeghiazaryan and urban planning agency chief R. Mkrtchyan as well as the former governor’s negligence in office was AMD 36.4 million or about $98,000. The damage was found thanks to inspections ordered by the finance ministry.
The damage inflicted by NNA company has already returned the whole sum to the government, while Manuela paid only AMD 8.3 million (about $22,000) of the damage caused.
The collected evidence gave ground for charging Hovakimyan with abuse of powers, forgery of office documents and negligence.
Mkrtchyan, Yeghiazaryan are charged with abuse of powers and Santoyan is charged with the same offence and also with forgery of office documents. Bazikyan will be prosecuted for gross fraud and paper forgery and Andreasyan for gross fraud. -0-
