The trial in the case of Vahagn Vermishyan, the former Chairman of the Urban Development Committee, has already started in the Court of Appeal. The Court will examine the appeal against the final judicial act of the court of first instance collegially with the composition of 3 judges. Sergey Marabyan was appointed Presiding Judge, Mesrop Makyan and Karen Amiryan are members.
Notably on 7 December, RA President Vahagn Khachaturyan signed a decree, by which Sergey Marabyan was appointed as a judge of the judicial composition of the Anti-Corruption Chamber of the Court of Cassation It is not yet known to whom Vahagn Vermishyan’s case has been signed to.
According to Iravaban.net, Vahagn Vermishyan has been charged with 7 episodes, one of which is related to alleged fraud.
According to the indictment, in December 2020, Vahagn Vermishyan received in his office, his relative Ashot Muradyan and Zohrab Hovhannisyan, who initiated the construction of an apartment building on Azatutyan Avenue.
According to the prosecution, after learning during the conversation that Zohrab Hovhannisyan needed a sketch project in order to receive an architectural design task, he advised him to use the services of Gagik Panosyan, who is in close relations with him and who carries out design work.
“…He fraudulently assured that it was necessary to pay 5,000 USD equivalent to 2,387,150 AMD for the service, as a result of which Zohrab Hovhannisyan, being in a state of delusion, conditioned by Vahagn Vermishyan’s person, trusting the latter, gave his consent and at Vahagn Vermishyan’s request he personally paid at the latter’s office a part of the requested 5,000 USD, 2,500 USD equivalent to 1,193,575 AMD as an advance payment. At the same time demanded Zohrab Hovhannisyan to transfer the remaining part of the amount to Gagik Panosyan in January 2020 after receiving the sketch.
It is noted that as a result, Vahagn Vermishyan received 2,500 USD equivalent to 1,193,575 AMD from Zohrab Hovhannisyan, which he embezzled fraudulently.
Hovhannisyan testified in court and stated that he does not consider himself a victim; he is not deceived or misled. Vahagn Vermishyan only offered to provide experienced architects if the latter does not have an architect.
“At the end of November or the beginning of December 2019, again through, he met Vahagn Vermishyan in his office through the support of Ashot Muradyan. Vermishyan said that he would provide the architect’s information if the issues raised were resolved and added that the cost of preparing the sketch design would be 5,000 USD, half of which should be paid as an advance payment. He agreed and on the same day or a few days later, in his office, he handed over twenty-five 100 TSD banknote as a down payment, as well as the certificate of the plan and the geodetic deposit reference on laser disc. He put the money on the table in the office. A few days later, architect Gagik Panosyan called on behalf of Vahagn Vermishyan, and they met in the latter’s to receive the design permit. He did not have any conversation with Gagik Panosyan company in the 2nd district of Davitashen. He discussed with him the general image of the building, and issues of the terms of reference of the sketch. Gagik Panosyan submitted the sketch assignment after 20 January, 2020, who was paid $2,500 at the same time. A few days later, the sketch was seubmitted to the Yerevan Municipality regarding the amount of money, he did not conduct negotiations, he did not talk with the latter about giving an advance payment of 2500 USD to Vahagn Vermishyan,” the statement published in “Datalex” states.
Vahagn Vermishyan’s lawyer, Alexander Kochubaev, told Iravaban.net that there was no crime of the fraud in the case. Moreover, judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan stopped Zohrab Hovhannisyan’s participation in the trial as a victim during the trial of the case in the first instance court. “Now, if we have no abuse of trust or delusion, Zohrab Hovhannisyan does not consider himself deceived or misled, then how is it that the court was able to assess the happening as a fraud?”
According to the lawyer, accusing Vahagn Vermishyan of this crime, which is missing, had the purpose of discrediting him, which did not work. “In this case, Zohrab Hovhannisyan turned to Vermishyan with a certain problem related to construction. Vermishyan contacted a specialist in the relevant field, the money was transferred, and the work was done. This is the whole reality.”
The company to which 2,500 USD was paid was supposed to deal with the design of the building, and another company was supposed to deal with other issues. The other part of the money was not spent because Vahagn Vermishyan was arrested. “If he remained free, then the other part should be transferred to another company, which would deal with the next stages. Vermishyan was not involved in those processes, but tried to help and guide the person who turned to him.”
To the question: how did it turn out that Zohrab Hohvannisyan was not a victim in the case, but Vahagn Vermishyan was also found guilty in the mentioned episode, the lawyer answered: “If one day you meet Mnatsakan Martirosyan on the road, please ask him. Criminalization of fraud protects a private interest. If a person testifies and says, “I was not deceived,” one more thing, his case is solved, he is arrested and is convicted of fraud.”
It should also be noted that the witness Vahan Baghdasaryan stated in court that he is engaged in architectural design and installation of engineering networks. The architects of the company are Gagik Panosyan, Vahe Petikyan and Hayk Sadoyan. He knows his father’s friend, Vahagn Vermishyan, they are in normal relationship.
When Vahagn Vermishyan was the Vhairman of the Urban Planning Committee, he proposed to accept a design order. Gagik Panosyan mostly dealt with Vahagn Vermishyan on design issues.
During the phone conversation, Vahagn Vermishyan asked him whether he would design Zohrab Hovhannisyan’s building and for how much money, but only that question was discussed. Then a guy named Harut came to one of the offices on Republic Street and ordered an engineering plan, which they did.
Witness Vahe Petikyan met Vahagn Vermishyan when he and Gagik Panosyan went to the latter’s office, where he presented the plan for the construction of multi-apartment complex buildings to be built in Avan district and at the same time offered to design a sketch version for the construction of the building on the land owned by Zohrab Hovhannisyan in Zeytun district of Yerevan.
During the conversation, Vahagn Vermishyan informed that he took a part of the money for drawing up the sketch plan from Zohrab Hovhannisyan, and the latter will pay them 2,500 USD.
They met with Zohrab Hovhannisyan, discussed the draft options. After preparing the plan, they met Zohrab Hovhannisyan, handed it over and received the 2500 USD. Together with Gagik Panosyan, he also designed the sketches for the construction of 6 eighteen-story buildings in the Avan district of Yerevan. The witness claimed in court that he had not received any money from Vahagn Vermishyan.
Vahagn Vermishyan was found guilty of this episode. According to the court decision, he must pay a fine of 1 million AMD.
It should be noted that the court of first instance found Vahagn Vermishyan guilty on all episodes and sentenced him to a total of 8 years in prison.
Vahagn Vermishyan pleads not guilty to all the charges and demands an acquittal.
