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The Yerevan Court of First Instance, presided over by Judge Vahe Misakyan, announced on Wednesday a decision on the motion filed by third President Serzh Sargsyan’s lawyer.

The attorney had filed a motion for prosecutor Arsen Martirosyan’s recusal during the first hearing in the ex-president’s trial on Tuesday.

The presiding judge denied the defense motion that the prosecutor drop off the case after considering it in the deliberation room.

The next court hearing in the high-profile case is scheduled for March 26.

On 4 December the Special Investigative Service charged Serzh Sargsyan with organizing an alleged embezzlement of government funds along with a group of other officials through misuse of official position.

The indictment said that Sargsyan used his official position in January and February 2013, when he was president, to steer a government fuel contract to a particular company that cost the state an additional 489 million drams (roughly $1 million) in subsidies.