The Court of General Jurisdiction of Kentron and Nork Marash Administrative Districts of Yerevan, under the presidency of Judge Gagik Poghosyan heard the Counsel’s Address on the accused Sargis Hakobyan on the Article “causing deliberate harm to health, which caused the death of the injured person.”

The accused Sargis Hakobyan did not recognize his fault in the court: According to him he did not have any connection with Hovik Gevorgyan’s death.

According to the indictment on 26 January 2011 from 16.30 to 18:00, in an unknown place in Yerevan he quarreled with Hovik Gevorgyan for the latter’s failure to return the borrowed sum of money. During the quarrel Sargis Hakobyan hit Hovik Gevorgyan with his hands and feet and caused deliberate severe harm to his health. Later, on 1 February 2011, Sargis Hakobyan died from the caused harm in “Armenia” Medical Center. It should be mentioned that Hovik Gevorgyan has been convicted for several times in the past.

In his speech the defender referred to evidences provided by the victim’s wife in pre-investigation process as well as in the court, and which were the main testimony for initiating the criminal case against Sargis Hakobyan.

The victim’s widow had previously testified that to her question “who had done it?” the victim responded, “Sargis.”

However, in the court, during the hearing, she mentioned that the in fact her husband did not say “Sarkis”, but she understood “Sasun”. And according to the defender’s speech in prosecutor’s office she was pursued that it was Sargis and not Sasun.

The wife explained the difference in her testimony by the circumstance that among the friends of her husband she knew only Sargis and she did not know anyone whose name was Sasun, and that was why she thought that the victim meant Sargis.

Mamuka Khizanishvili, citizen of Georgia, who was recognized as a witness in this case, during the pre-investigation testified that the accused during his visit to Georgia informed him that he had had differences and problems with the victim.

However, Khizanishvili stated at the court that the defendant had not told such a thing to him, and said that he had testified that way because the investigator of the Georgian Prosecutor’s office asked him to tell so. Two investigators from Armenia were present during his pre-investigation testimony.

Judge Gagik Poghosyan listened to Sargis Hakobyan’s counsel’s address with closed eyes. One of the court officers was sitting with closed eyes as well.

The court decision will be announced tomorrow.

Nune Hovsepyan

Photo: court.am

Source: Iravaban.net