Armenia’s NSS detains two person on charges of bribery

YEREVAN, November 15, /ARKA/. Armenia’s National Security Service (NSS) said today that two people were arrested on charges of bribery.

One is a senior official of the Territorial Development Fund, who is charged with demanding and receiving a kickback from a construction company that was recognized the winner of a procurement tender.

The arrested official is the head of the Fund’s office overseeing implementation of projects. According to the National Security Service, he demanded a 25 million dram kickback from the contractor company, which won the 1.8 billion dram tender for the construction of a school in return for unhindered approval of the construction-related documents.

The official was said to have received part of the kickback in the amount 2,404,100 drams (about $5000) in September 2021.

The official was detained on November 12, when receiving another part of the bribe - $4,000, equivalent to AMD 1,900,760. The person who gave the bribe was also detained.

The National Security Service said the case was referred to the Anti-Corruption Committee, which initiated a criminal case.

A suspect or accused of an alleged crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty according to a court ruling that has entered into legal force, in accordance with the procedure established by the Criminal Procedure Code of Armenia. -0-