Judge rejects motion to release Margar Ohanyan on bail.

During Monday’s trial into the case of Armenia’s former Road Police Chief Margar Ohanyan, capital Yerevan’s Kentron and Nork Marash General Jurisdiction Court denied Margaryan’s attorneys’ motion to release him on bail.

In its motion, the defense had stated that Margar Ohanyan could not obstruct the court case, since close to twenty witnesses and the other defendants had already testified.

Margar Ohanyan is charged with abuse of official position and large-scale embezzlement of property, and he is under custody since August 30. If found guilty, he could face up to twelve years in prison.

In his capacity as Armenia’s Road Police Chief, Margar Ohanyan is charged with appropriating 574,420 liters of gasoline, which was allocated to the Road Police, and thus with causing the state damages worth 160 million drams (approx. US$ 420,000). Along with Margaryan, Police Force personnel Stepan Karakhanyan, Ara Levonyan, and Samvel Makhmuryan are also defendants in this case.