Armenia’s former governments knew full well about retired General Manvel Grigoryan’s illegal activities and corruption but prevented law enforcement bodies from arresting and prosecuting him, a former member of the Republican Party of Armenia told reporters on Wednesday.
“They [law-enforcement bodies] now have permission to catch him [Grigoryan] and they caught him,” said Artur Gevorgyan, a Republican Party of Armenia lawmaker who defected from his party after former prime minister Serzh Sarkisian resigned. They didn’t have permission before so they didn’t catch him.”
Gevorgyan, told journalists on Wednesday that there are even more corrupt people in the country than Grigoryan, who was arrested Saturday on charges of illegal weapons possession and embezzlement. Grigoryan was stripped on his parliamentary immunity on Tuesday and swiftly charged grand theft and possession of illegal weapons and was remanded to custody.
Gevorgyan, who is the son-in-law of Armenia’s former police chief Vladimir “Vova” Gasparyan, said that Manvel Grigoryan is probably not on the top-100 list of corrupt individuals in Armenia.
What hastened the parliament’s decision to allow Grigoryan to be prosecuted was video released by Armenia’s National Security Service showing stockpiles of weapons, ammunition, vehicles, a zoo and canned goods earmarked for soldiers fighting in the 2016 April War in Grigoryan’s properties in and around Etchmiadzin.
On Tuesday, two trucks were seized containing more canned goods slated for use by the military. The drivers of the truck told police that Grigoryan’s wife, Nazik Amiryan, had ordered the transfer of the canned food from the headquarters of the Yerkrapah Veterans’ Union, an organization her husband has chaired for decades.
On Wednesday, the police in Artsakh raided Grigoryan’s home in the Ara Ler area of Artsakh and seized large amounts of canned meat, cigarettes, military underwear and clothing, hygiene supplies, bandages, petrol, 7.62 and 5.45 mm bullets all earmarked for use by the military.
Also on Wednesday, Armenia’s Special Investigative Service issued an announcement about a charity that Grigoryan had established an eponymous charity in 2013 and solicited donations from individuals and organization, who made direct deposits in the charity’s bank account.
“There are concerns that it is possible that the sums did not enter the charity fund or in the future were spent not for those purposes. We ask all citizens and organization that made donations in cash or by transfers to the mentioned Fund to apply to the Special Investigation Service of Armenia,” said the statement published on Wednesday.
I don’t believe it. You could have knocked me down with a feather!
Everyone that is anyone in Yerevan knew about the activities of this so called hero, From top to bottom in Armenian Government of Sargasyan they all knew, as they too are all involved in other forms of activities that are criminal.
This is just the beginning, maybe they should raid properties owned by our UnGodly Karikin II & his brother and their families, all corrupt all criminals.
We need to flush these vile criminal gangs from all aspects of government and start new, that is the only solution
Whereas I look with extreme disgust to the actions of this man; won’t name his name out of disrespect, I can think of one possibility as medical excuse as a physician, if he suffered from extreme case of PTSD, and also alcoholism. What was he going to do with all those materials for himself and family, after his old age?; when he had adequate pension I expect, and a lavish real estate as reported. Wife acted smart to help dispose of the materials, but only when he was exposed. May be the old man controlled her. Wild animals let out to streets of City of Etchmizin is crazy. What if the Catholicos confronted them while He was taking his early morning exercise walks in the City not far away?? What a scare to the holly man!!
This person needs extreme laws thrown at him, if no mental illness proven
firstely l am proud to be Aarmenian ,but l am so ashamed to see what they have done to our country specialy to our young and brave soldiers ,God bless them but same time l hope this people go to hell who destroyed our butiefull country and caused so much pain and suffing to our people. god blees Armenia .Hmick
Of course they knew! They were all HOARDING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, STEALING FROM THE ARMENIANS IN ARMENIA AND THE DIASPORA! Where are our GOD-FEARING, RIGHTEOUS ARMENIAN LEADERS? Where are our leaders who will NOT STEAL, NOT MURDER, NOT OPPRESS? Where are our leaders who will CRUSH CORRUPTION, SPEND BILLIONS IN INFRASTRUCTURE, MAKE Armenia an economically hospitable country to do business so people will have JOBS and NOT LEAVE THE country and never return? WHERE ARE OUR GENERAL ANDRANIKS? OUR TOUMANIANS? OUR SPARAPETS?
This monster should be locked up like the rabid animal that he is and the key thrown away.