Businessman sentenced to 15 years
Today Judge of the general jurisdiction court of Kentron and Nork-Marash districts Mnatsakan Martirosyan announced the verdict for the house theft of former Head of the RA Customs Committee Armen Avetisyan.
The bandit attack took place on the night of 26 October 2008 and 10 people are charged with the case.
Businessman Ara Karapetyan, which is considered as an organizer, was acknowledged as guilty and sentenced to 15 years in prison and half of his belongings were confiscated.
Armen Nikoghosyan was sentenced to 15 years, Hayk Melkonyan to 14, Arshak Grigoryan to 13, Hovhannes Nazaryan to 11, Suren Melkonyan to11, Bagrat Soghomonyan to 12, Nikolay Khachikyan to 8 years and 6 months, Arsen Soghomonyan to 11 and Ashot Khachatryan to 9 years in prison. The prisoners will be at the penitentiaries of the Ministry of Justice and the verdict will be in effect starting in 15 days.
After the verdict was announced, Ara Karapetyan once again claimed that he was innocent. He also claimed that he was being sentenced based on some people's desires and without any evidence and promised journalists that he would provide important information about the oligarchs' corruption soon.
"I will soon provide you with information and you will know the truth about the corrupt, all outlaw oligarchs and the patrons of scoundrels," businessman Ara Karapetyan announced out of the courtroom.
The businessman's wife Tsovik Karapetyan also assured that she would provide information as well. She and the rest of the culprits' wives stated that they would continue the struggle for justice and would appeal to the Appeals' Court.
Ara Karapetyan is not only charged with robbing Armen Avetisyan's home, but other criminal acts as well.
