On September 18, the Court of General Jurisdiction of Syunik Province sentenced Albert Ohanjanyan, Head of the Kapan Meat Factory, to three years and three months in jail under the buffalo meat case, Radio Azatutyun reports.
To recall, on the basis of violations revealed during the inspections conducted at the supply park of the Armenian Army in June 2012, a criminal case was instituted under Article 178 Part 3 Item 1 of the Armenian Criminal Code (large scale fraud). In particular, the inspections covered the meat supplied to the Army. A total of 82 tons of frozen buffalo meat was supplied to the Army instead of beef. Ohanjanyan is charged with inflicting a 127 mln AMD (about 310 thsd USD) damage to the Defense Ministry of Armenia. In 2012, following the scandal, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan decreed dismissing Lt.-Gen. Arshaluys Paytyan, Deputy Head of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, who coordinated the procurement and supplies in the Armenian Armed Forces.