David Tonoyan accused of embezzlement on an especially large scale

ArmInfo.Former Minister of Defense of Armenia David Tonoyan is accused of embezzlement on an especially large scale.

Thus, according to the National Security Service of the Republic of  Armenia, the Investigation Department of the National Security  Service of the Republic of Armenia continues the preliminary  investigation of the criminal case initiated on the fact of abuse of  official powers and commission of official forgeries by high-ranking  officials of the Defense Ministry and the RA Armed Forces in the  process of supplying ammunition for the needs of the RA Armed Forces.

"Within the framework of the above criminal case, David Tonoyan, who  held the post of RA Minister of Defense in 2018-2020, as well as  director of the supplier organization David Galstyan, were detained  on suspicion of embezzlement on an especially large scale. On the  same day, both were charged with embezzlement of money in especially  large amounts - 2,277,323,840 drams and falsifications, committing  socially dangerous acts, and petitions were submitted to the court  for choosing a preventive measure in the form of arrest, "the RA NSS  statement said.  It is also reported that within the framework of the  criminal case for abuse of power and commission of official  forgeries, criminal prosecution has been initiated against former and  current high-ranking officials of the RA Armed Forces.

The National Security Service of Armenia reports that large-scale  operational-search and investigative actions are continuing in the  criminal case to reveal the full picture of the criminal mechanism of  theft of state property on an especially large scale, the actions of  other officials involved in this case, and the initiation of criminal  prosecution against them.

Earlier, information was circulated in the Armenian media that  searches were carried out in the apartment of former Minister of  Defense of Armenia David Tonoyan on September 29, and he himself was  detained and charged.  According to the information, searches were  carried out at the former head of the aviation department Avetik  Muradyan, deputy head of the General Staff Stepan Galstyan. It is  also noted that this is connected with the criminal case on the  supply of weapons, which is being investigated by the RA NSS. The  General Staff of Armenia confirmed the information about the  summoning of Stepan Galstyan to the National Security Service of the  Republic of Armenia.

Earlier, the National Security Service of Armenia reported that  former head of the aviation department Avetik Muradyan was detained  on charges of purchasing unsuitable missiles.

Meanwhile, the former Minister of Defense of Armenia Seyran Ohanyan  confirmed that since 2011, missiles unsuitable for operation based on  safety standards have been stored in the warehouse of the RA Ministry  of Defense, pending their further disposal by the supplier's company.  He also assured that the above-mentioned unusable missiles were  accepted on the balance of the RA Ministry of Defense during the  period when Nikol Pashinyan's government was already in power.