Former Mayor of Kasakh Sells 28 Land Plots; 6 Arrested

The Investigative Committee of the Republic of Armenia reports that during the preliminary investigation of a criminal case conducted by the Main Investigation Department for Particularly Important Cases, substantial investigative and evidential actions have uncovered evidence suggesting that A.M., who served as the head of the Kasakh community in Kotayk Province from 1996 to 2021, along with his nephew N.M., the secretary of the community administration, and other employees of the municipality, made unofficial agreements with members of the auction committee.

During the period from 2016 to 2019, they reportedly falsified official documents regarding auctions that were never actually held, to transfer ownership of 28 pieces of land with a total market value of approximately 228 million AMD, which belong to the community, to individuals purportedly declared as winners of those auctions. As a result, significant damage has been inflicted on the Kasakh community, disrupting the legal management of communal property and the legal process of land transfer. The mentioned plots of land were illegally removed from the community fund, depriving the community of the legal possibility to transfer its own land in accordance with Armenian legislation.

The report from the Investigative Committee states that public criminal prosecution has been initiated against A.M. and five former employees of the municipality on 28 episodes, citing Articles 309 (part 1 and part 3, abuse of official powers) and 314 (part 1, official forgery) of the Criminal Code of Armenia, adopted on April 18, 2003. They have been arrested as part of a process to apply detention as a measure of restraint.

Notice: A person accused of a crime is considered innocent until proven guilty in a manner prescribed by the Criminal Procedure Code, by a court decision that has entered into legal force.