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The Anti-Corruption Committee confirmed on Monday that Gyumri Mayor Vardan Ghukasyan and other city officials have been arrested on corruption-related charges.
In a statement following the arrest at Gyumri City Hall, the law enforcement agency said it had gathered evidence during an investigation into alleged graft indicating that Ghukasyan and the city’s chief architect were engaged in bribery.
A total of eight individuals, including the mayor, have been arrested and are facing charges.
Ghukasyan and the chief architect allegedly conspired to demand a bribe of 4 million drams from a local resident in exchange for falsifying documents and preventing the demolition of his unlawfully constructed building in Gyumri.
The chief architect then allegedly held several meetings with the developer of the construction project to arrange the bribe.
The law enforcement agency also reported gathering information that the officials blackmailed their political opponents at the local city council to maintain the illegal scheme.
Other similar bribery cases involving document falsification and legalization of unlawful constructions have been uncovered during the investigation, the agency added.
“Extensive operational, investigative, and evidentiary actions continue to be carried out within the criminal proceedings to fully uncover the structure and operational mechanisms of the corruption scheme, as well as to identify the full range of individuals involved in the criminal network,” the Anti-Corruption Committee said.