Within the criminal case investigated in Gegharkunik Regional Investigative Department of the RA Investigative Committee the former head of Vardenis community charged with exceeding official authorities, swindling and forging documents was detained.

It was earlier informed that the former head of Vardenis community,holding the position of the head of Vardenis regional agency for social assistance of the staff of Gegharkunik municipality from March 2004 to November 2017, as well as the position of the head of Vardenis community from November 2017 to December 2018, committed a number of abuses.

Particularly, through investigation it was found out that the official, with the aim of swindling money from the state budget by using obviously false data, organized and realized the plan of swindling money in particularly large amount from the amount of financial aid given as a benefit by the state to the socially vulnerable families, worked out a joint plan involving two employees of the agency, as well.

Pursuant to initial data, the damage caused to the state is more than 231 million AMD.

Besides, through investigation data were obtained on the allegation that the former head of the community, being informed about the intention of two citizens of Vardenis to illegally occupy the park area planned for common use and to build cafes without permission, gave an oral agreement for the mentioned violations and willfully did not take any measure to prevent the unauthorized construction, to eliminate the consequences and to use measures of administrative liability against the citizens. As a result, Vardenis community was deprived of the opportunity to use the park area as intended which caused significant damage to the community.

During preliminary investigation the former head of Vardenis community and the above-mentioned two employees of Vardenis Regional Agency for Social Assistance of the staff of Gegharkunik municipality confessed that they had swindled about 231 942 500 AMD.

On the base of the obtained sufficient evidence charge was pressed against the former head of Vardenis community according to the Part 1 of the Article 308 (2 counts), the Part 2 of the Article 325, the Point 1 of the Part 3 of the Article 178 of RA Criminal Code.

A motion was submitted to court by the investigative body to choose detention as a pretrial measure against him. It was sufficed.

Preliminary investigation is ongoing. Necessary measures are taken to find out all circumstances, the whole frame of those related to abuses, to provide the objective and comprehensive investigation of the case.

Note; Everyone charged with alleged crime offence shall be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law.