9 former officials of Khanh Hoa province continue to stand trial

This is the case of "Violating regulations on management and use of assets causing loss and waste" occurring at the Oceanus Luxury Hotel and Apartment Project (now Muong Thanh Vien Trieu on Pham Van Dong Street, Vinh Phuoc Ward, Nha Trang City, Khanh Hoa).

Defendants at the trial on the morning of January 23

The project is invested by Vien Trieu Nha Trang Investment Joint Stock Company (later merged with Muong Thanh Group Joint Stock Company).

9 defendants were brought to trial, including Mr. Nguyen Chien Thang - Former Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, and Mr. Dao Cong Thien - Former Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee.

Other defendants include: Vo Tan Thai - Former Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Nguyen Ngoc Tam - Former Deputy Director of the Department of Finance), Vu Xuan Thieng - Former Deputy Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Tran Quang Buu - Former Deputy Director of the Department of Construction, Nguyen Van Nhut - Former Deputy Director of the Department of Planning and Investment, Tran Sy Quan - Former Deputy Director of the Provincial Tax Department and Le Huy Toan - Former Vice Chairman of the Nha Trang City People's Committee.

At the trial, defendants Thai, Toan and Buu were absent due to health reasons.

The two defendants Dao Cong Thien (left) and Nguyen Chien Thang (right)

After the representative of the Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Procuracy read the indictment against the 9 defendants, due to health reasons, Mr. Thang asked the panel of judges to allow the defendants in court to sit down because the trial was prolonged.

The indictment of the People's Procuracy of Khanh Hoa province pointed out 5 violations of the People's Committee of Khanh Hoa province in the Muong Thanh Vien Trieu project, including: Violations in granting investment licenses, in approving planning, in land allocation, in determining land prices and in granting land use right certificates.

In the investment licensing violation, Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee did not follow the Prime Minister's direction and current legal regulations.

Specifically, in August 2012, Mr. Nguyen Chien Thang concluded to allocate land with land use fee collection to the investor to implement the Thien Trieu complex with an area of 22,340 m2 of land on Pham Van Dong street frontage based on land prices advised and proposed by the province's functional departments (no project bidding, no land use rights auction).

The decision of Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee to assign the project to Thien Trieu Investment Joint Stock Company was not in accordance with the Prime Minister's instructions and legal regulations. Afterwards, Thien Trieu Investment Joint Stock Company did not implement the project, but transferred the project to Vien Trieu Company and was approved by the Provincial People's Committee.

Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee approved the Oceanus project to build 47 floors, which is not in accordance with the general construction plan of Nha Trang city approved by the Prime Minister. Later, this project was adjusted down to 40 floors.

After being granted an investment certificate by the Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee, Thien Trieu Investment Joint Stock Company did not implement the project, but transferred the project to Vien Trieu Nha Trang Investment Joint Stock Company and was approved by the province.

According to the valuation conclusion of the Criminal Asset Valuation Council at the ministerial level, the amount of state budget lost and wasted as of October 21, 2015 was more than VND 5.6 billion; the difference at the time of prosecution (January 6, 2022) was more than VND 356 billion.

In particular, Mr. Nguyen Chien Thang, as the head of Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee, had many instructions to appoint investors without organizing a bidding to select investors, and allocated land to investors in violation of the law.

From Mr. Thang's instructions, subordinates carried out and led to many violations in this project.

To date, defendant Nguyen Chien Thang and his family have voluntarily paid 20 million VND; the remaining defendants have voluntarily paid 10 million VND each to remedy the consequences of their violations.

This is the fourth case in which former leaders of Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee have been tried in court for violations in directing and implementing major projects in Khanh Hoa province.

These are the cases that occurred at the projects in Chin Khuc Mountain; the project on the prime land of Khanh Hoa Political School (old); and the Nha Trang Golden Gate project.

Currently, the three defendants Thang, Thien, and Thai are all serving prison sentences for these cases.

Defendant Nguyen Chien Thang is serving a 17-year and 6-month prison sentence in three cases that occurred at the Nha Trang Golden Gate project at 28E Tran Phu, the project on the land of the former headquarters of Khanh Hoa Political School, and the projects on Chin Khuc Mountain.
Defendant Dao Cong Thien is serving a sentence of 13 years and 6 months in prison;
Defendant Vo Tan Thai, former Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, is serving a 10-year prison sentence in three cases like defendant Thang.

MINH MINH

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