APPEAL CRIMINAL COURT REVERSES VERDICT OF "NOT GUILTY" IN
CASE OF "ROYAL ARMENIA" COMPANY
30-11-2007 16:00:00 | Armenia | Social
YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA Criminal Appeal
Court (chairman - Judge Surik Ghazarian) on November 29 reversed
the verdict of "not guilty" returned on the heads of Royal
Armenia company. The appeal court came to the conclusion that
the motivations in the July 16 verdict of "not guilty" returned
by the court of first instannce of Yerevan's Kentron and
Nork-Marash communities are ungrounded and not based on the data
of the case, and the criminal actions of the defendants are
completely proven and correctly qualified.
The appeal court decided to find the co-owner of the
company Gagik Hakobian guilty by the RA Criminal Code's Article
178 Part 3 points 1 and 2 - fraud, Article 215 Part 1 -
smuggling, Article 205 Part 1 - tax evasion, and Article 325
Part 2 - forgery of invoices and sentenced him to 6 years'
imprisonment. G. Hakobian has to serve the remaining term of 4
years 2 months 25 days.
The deputy director of the company Aram Ghazarian was found
guilty by the RA Criminal Code's Articles 215 and 205 Parts 1,
Article 325 Part 2 and sentenced to 2 years' improsonment. The
decision of the RA National Assembly to declare amnesty on the
occasion of the 15th anniversray of Armenia's independence was
used with respect to A. Ghazarian, he was revileved from his
main punishment - imprisonment.
455,717,900 drams will be transferred from the economy of
G. Hakobian and A. Ghazarian to the state budget as compenstion
of the damage done to the state by committing the crime. By the
court decision, G. Hakobian has to pay a sum in drams
equivalent to 555,825.5 USD (at the moment of confiscation) to
Federal Investment organization as compenstion of the damage
done to the aggrived party by committing the crime.
The court decided to acquit G. Hakobian and A. Ghazarian of
money laundering (Article 190 of the RA Criminal Code), A.
Ghazarian was also acquitted of fraud.
The defence lawyers intend to dispute the decision of the
appeal court in a higher court.