Third President Serzh Sargsyan, who has already held the status of defendant for 2 years in the fuel case, has been implicated as a defendant in yet another case — this time a bribery case. This is a criminal case initiated three years ago on the basis of a complaint by businesswoman Silva Hambardzumyan, in which second President Robert Kocharyan and his former chief of staff, now opposition “Armenia” faction deputy Armen Gevorgyan, as well as Kocharyan’s close associate, businessman Samvel Mayrapetyan, are accused.
Serzh Sargsyan’s defense counsel, Amram Makinyan, reported that the matter concerns the complaint of businesswoman Silva Hambardzumyan. After the revolution, the businesswoman had declared that in 2008 she had given bribes to high-ranking officials in order to conduct activities in the mining sector.
Third President Serzh Sargsyan has so far stood before the court only in the fuel case; he is accused of organizing the embezzlement of a sum of approximately half a billion drams, and he does not accept the charge. Proceedings in this case have been underway in the Yerevan Court of General Jurisdiction for more than a year already.
Last month, a criminal case was also initiated regarding the flights to Baden-Baden made during Serzh Sargsyan’s tenure. Sargsyan does not hold the status of defendant in the criminal case under the article on abuse of official powers.
