According to the preliminary investigation carried out under the criminal proceedings by RA Anti-Corruption Committee, numerous episodes of bribery paid by drivers of trucks, driving along Yerevan-Meghri highway, to officials of the inspection body of urban, technical and fire safety of RA (UTFS), as well as the police, were revealed within the period from January to February 2023. As a result, a lot of overloaded vehicles exceeding the permitted maximum weight, passed through the stationary point of the inspection body of the UTFS, located in the community of Sisian without being weighed and without obstacles, and continued driving, as a result, the cover of the roadway of M-2 Yerevan-Meghri highway was damaged, and the offenses committed by the drivers were not recorded, and the persons were not brought to administrative responsibility.
In particular, the criminal proceedings showed that on January 20, 2023, the inspector of the “Traffic Police” service of the Police of RA Ministry of Internal Affairs M. H., while performing his service on the territory of the stationary point of the inspection body of the UTFS, located in Sisian community section of Yerevan-Meghri highway, received a bribe from RA citizen M.T. for allowing the overloaded vehicle driven by the latter to pass through the checkpoint without being weighed and without obstacles.
G. H., an official of the inspection body of the UTFS, being included in the shift of the stationary point and being at the weighing point, at the instigation of the road inspector M.H., did not fulfill his official duties, namely, did not take measures to stop and weigh the overloaded truck exceeding the maximum permissible weight on a state highway and driven by M. T., and accordingly did not draw up a protocol on an administrative offense, as a result of which M. T. was not subjected to a fine.
The preliminary investigation also revealed that on February 20, 2023, H. B., an employee of the patrol service platoon of Sisian Police Department of RA MIA, while carrying out his service on the territory of the same above-mentioned inspection body of the UTFS, received a bribe from RA citizen M. T. for passing the overloaded vehicles driven by RA citizen M.T., as well as two citizens of the Republic of Iran through the checkpoint without being weighed and without obstacles, and a police officer of the same platoon K.H. also forced M.T. to give a collective bribe to the employee of the inspection body of the UTFS.
During the criminal proceedings, where the preliminary investigation is underway, a number of other episodes of giving and receiving bribes in such a manner were also revealed.
On 10.10.2023 the police officers of the patrol service platoon H.B. and K.H., the traffic police inspector M.H., the official of the inspection body of the UTFS, as well as the truck driver K.M. were detained.
H.B. and M.H. were charged under Article 435, Part 2, Point 3 of RA Criminal Code for receiving a bribe, and M.H. was also charged under Article 46-441, Part 1. 9 more persons were charged under the Articles for giving and receiving bribes.
The preliminary investigation against the above 11 persons, separated from the criminal proceedings, has been completed. The materials of the proceedings with the indictment were handed over to the supervisory prosecutor with a request to approve them and send to the court.
Notification. the person accused of a crime is considered innocent until his guilt is proven in accordance with the procedure established by the RA Criminal Procedure Code by a verdict entered into legal force.
