The preliminary investigation of the criminal proceedings initiated against the former Head of the Gyumri Community Vardan Ghukasyan regarding the cases of committing official forgery and misuse the official powers to expropriate more than two dozen immovable properties in the Gyumri community has been completed.

According to the factual data obtained by the comprehensive investigation carried out in the Shirak Regional Investigation Department of the RA Investigative Committee, it was proved that Vardan Ghukasyan, being the Head of the Gyumri City Community from November 1999 to October 2012, with the assistance of a number of officials, expropriated by direct sale or auction during the years 2006-2011, 24 immovable properties that were state or community property located at different addresses, not subject to expropriation, as defined by Article 60 of the RA Land Code, including plots of city park, which is a green zone (park) for general use, at the given time. with an estimated cadastral value of AMD 35,690,403.

In addition, by reaching a preliminary agreement with a number of people, including his brother and son, from the Gyumri community on the issues of concluding formal purchase and sale and gratuitous use contracts, creating the illusion of legally acquiring property by making donations, thus helping to avoid responsibility for the crime he committed, in order to distort the source of origin of the property obtained by criminal means, to hide the ownership, legalized 4 of the above-mentioned immovable properties with a cadastral value of AMD 16,060,815, obtained by criminal means.

In particular, among Vardan Ghukasyan’s close relatives, formal purchase and sale contracts regarding the alienation of immovable property were signed, on the basis of which their ownership rights to the properties were registered. Then, on the basis of the signed contracts on handing over the aforementioned properties to V. Ghukasyan for free use, state registration was made, and according to the donation contracts signed after that, the properties were donated to Ghukasyan’s son or brothers. sate registrations were made and certificates were issued on that basis.

Based on the obtained sufficient facts, the former Head of the Gyumri Community V. Ghukasyan was charged with official forgery (24 episodes), abusing official authority (26 episodes), legalizing the proceeds of crime (money laundering) (4 episodes). His brother, son and two relatives were charged with legalizing the proceeds of crime (money laundering).

In the scope of the criminal proceedings, criminal prosecutions against 5 former officials of the municipality were stopped on grounds of statute of limitations.

The preliminary investigation has been completed, the materials of the criminal proceedings, with the indictment, have been sent to the supervising prosecutor for confirmation and sent to the court.

Restraints have been applied to properties allegedly expropriated through criminal means.

According to Article 190, Part 3, Clause 3 of the RA Criminal Code, a public criminal prosecution was initiated against one of V. Ghukasyan’s relatives, a search warrant was announced against him, and the preliminary investigation was suspended on that basis.

Note: A person that is suspected or accused of an alleged crime is considered innocent until his/her guilt is proved by a court judgment that has come into legal effect pursuant to the procedure determined by RA Criminal Procedure Code.