Major cases to be brought to trial in 2023

Group of officers on trial in Viet A case

On the afternoon of December 29, the Hanoi Military Court sentenced seven defendants in a case related to violations at the Military Medical Academy, Viet A Technology Joint Stock Company and related units.

Accordingly, the People's Court decided to sentence defendant Phan Quoc Viet (Chairman and General Director of Viet A Company) to 15 years in prison for the crime of "Abusing position and power while performing official duties" and 10 years in prison for the crime of "Violating bidding regulations causing serious consequences", totaling 25 years in prison.

Former Lieutenant Colonel Ho Anh Son (former Deputy Director of the Military Medical Research Institute, Military Medical Academy) was sentenced to 12 years in prison; Trinh Thanh Hung (former Deputy Director of the Department of Economic and Technical Sectors, Ministry of Science and Technology) to 15 years in prison for "Abusing position and power while performing official duties".

Former Colonel Nguyen Van Hieu (former Head of Equipment and Supplies Department, Military Medical Academy) was sentenced to 7 years in prison, former Major Ngo Anh Tuan (former Head of Finance Department) to 4 years in prison, former Major Le Truong Minh (former Head of Pharmaceutical Chemistry Department, Military Medical Academy) to 6 years in prison, Vu Dinh Hiep (Deputy General Director of Viet A Company) to 6 years in prison for the crime of "Violating bidding regulations causing serious consequences".

In the debate on December 28, the representative of the People's Procuracy affirmed that in the case of "inserting" Viet A Company into the research of test kits of the Military Medical Academy, there was personal gain by Ho Anh Son, Trinh Thanh Hung and Phan Quoc Viet.

Phan Quoc Viet participated in the project with the purpose of getting Viet A to quickly and illegally license the company's test kit. Ho Anh Son had the purpose of profiting by receiving 2.8 billion VND for the project and then asking many scientists to participate but not conduct the research. After that, Son asked them to transfer the money back to him.

The prosecutor emphasized that all the criminal acts of the other defendants were influenced by Trinh Thanh Hung, so the prosecution and trial of defendant Hung as the leader was correct and appropriate.

After being licensed by the Ministry of Health, Phan Quoc Viet thanked Trinh Thanh Hung for 350,000 USD (about 8 billion VND) and gave Ho Anh Son 2.5 billion VND in "commission".

The "Rescue Flight" case

The first instance trial of the "rescue flight" case took place from July 11 to July 28, with many defendants appearing in court as former officials. Of the 54 defendants, 21 were tried for "Accepting bribes". Two former Deputy Ministers, two former Vice Chairmen of the Provincial and Municipal People's Committees, one former Department Director, two Deputy Department Directors, and many former Ambassadors and officials appeared in court as defendants.

Hoang Van Hung (former Head of the Security Investigation Agency of the Ministry of Public Security), who was the main investigator in charge of the rescue flight case, also had to appear in court on charges of fraud and property appropriation of 800,000 USD (equivalent to 18.8 billion VND).

At the end of the first instance trial, defendant Hoang Van Hung was sentenced to life in prison for "fraudulent appropriation of property". In addition to Hoang Van Hung, three other defendants were also sentenced to life in prison. The remaining defendants received sentences ranging from 15 months of suspended imprisonment to 18 years in prison.

After that, Hoang Van Hung and 20 defendants filed an appeal.

At the end of December, the case was brought to the appeal court. Notably, before the appeal court opened, the defendant Hoang Van Hung's lawyer said that the defendant Hung had just submitted a petition to the court to plead guilty, and at the same time, influenced and asked relatives and friends to pay 18.8 billion VND on his behalf to remedy the consequences of the case.

Defendant Hoang Van Hung had his sentence reduced from life to 20 years in prison by the appeal court.

The panel of judges of the High People's Court in Hanoi rejected the appeal and upheld the first instance life sentence for the defendants: Pham Trung Kien (former official of the Ministry of Health), Nguyen Thi Huong Lan (former Director of the Consular Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Vu Anh Tuan (former official of the Immigration Department, Ministry of Public Security) all for the crime of "Receiving bribes".

The Court of Appeal reduced the sentences for the defendants: To Anh Dung (former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs) to 14 years in prison, Do Hoang Tung (former Deputy Director of the Consular Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs) to 10 years in prison, Tran Van Tan (former Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Nam province) to 5 years in prison, all for the crime of "Receiving bribes"...

Hoang Van Hung was sentenced from life to 20 years in prison for "Fraudulent appropriation of property".

The first instance verdict determined that, in relation to the policy of bringing citizens back to the country during the tense period of the COVID-19 pandemic, 25 defendants took advantage of their positions, powers, and assigned tasks to receive bribes totaling nearly 165 billion VND and took advantage of their positions and powers while performing official duties, causing losses of more than 10 billion VND. 23 defendants were representatives of enterprises who gave bribes of more than 226 billion VND, 4 individuals brokered bribes of more than 74 billion VND, and defrauded nearly 25 billion VND.

Phase 2 of Da Nang - Quang Ngai Expressway

In October 2023, the Hanoi People's Court will try 22 defendants in the case that occurred on the Da Nang - Quang Ngai Expressway, phase 2.

The panel of judges determined that the defendants did not comply with many regulations during the construction process, from choosing materials, design, construction...

As a result, the Da Nang - Quang Ngai expressway is not of guaranteed quality but is still put into operation. Phase 2 of this expressway is 74km long, from Tam Ky to Quang Ngai but is not of guaranteed quality.

In this case, former General Director of Vietnam Expressway Corporation (VEC) Tran Van Tam received 5 years and 6 months in prison for "Violating regulations on investment in construction works causing serious consequences" and "Lack of responsibility causing serious consequences".

Former Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Director of VEC - Mai Anh Tuan was sentenced to 42 months in prison for "Lack of responsibility causing serious consequences".

The remaining defendants were sentenced from 2 years suspended to 6 years in prison.

The case of "inflating the price of green trees"

In August 2023, the People's Court determined that defendant Nguyen Duc Chung (former Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee) illegally directed the ordering of trees, planting trees in advance, and settling accounts later, causing the prices of trees to be inflated. The defendants' actions caused a total loss of VND 34.7 billion to the State.

Former Hanoi Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung and other defendants in court.

In this case, defendant Nguyen Duc Chung was sentenced to 18 months in prison for the crime of Abusing position and power while performing official duties; combined with previous sentences, this is 13 years and 6 months in prison.

The remaining defendants received sentences ranging from 24 months suspended to eight years in prison.

The case of "Asset Embezzlement" occurred at the Coast Guard Command

The first instance trial of this case took place from June 27-29.

Former Lieutenant General, former Commander of the Coast Guard Nguyen Van Son appeared in court with his subordinates: Hoang Van Dong (former Lieutenant General, former Political Commissar), Doan Bao Quyet (former Major General, former Deputy Political Commissar), Pham Kim Hau (former Major General, former Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff), Bui Trung Dung (former Major General, former Deputy Commander), Nguyen Van Hung (former Colonel, former Director of the Technical Department) and Bui Van Hoe (former Deputy Director of the Finance Department).

The defendants appeared in court in the case of "Embezzlement of property" that occurred at the Coast Guard Command.

After the incident was exposed, the defendants completed compensation for damages to the Coast Guard Command (50 billion VND), but still had to receive severe sentences. The sentences for the defendants ranged from 10 years to 16 years in prison.

Among them, former Commander Nguyen Van Son was sentenced to 16 years in prison for embezzlement. Mr. Son was determined to have directed his subordinates to "swindle" 50 billion VND from the budget to purchase supplies and equipment.

The case occurred at AIC Company and Dong Nai General Hospital.

According to the verdict, AIC Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan bribed Dong Nai province officials such as Tran Dinh Thanh (14.5 billion VND), Dinh Quoc Thai (14.5 billion VND), Phan Huy Anh Vu (14.8 billion VND)... to facilitate and influence AIC to win bids at Dong Nai General Hospital.

In this case, after winning 16 illegal bids, AIC inflated the prices of the bids, causing a loss of 152 billion VND to the State.

Former Secretary of Dong Nai Province Tran Dinh Thanh and former Chairman of the province Dinh Quoc Thai received sentences of 11 years and 9 years in prison respectively for "Accepting bribes". Defendant Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan was sentenced to 16 years in prison for "Violating bidding regulations causing serious consequences" and 14 years in prison for "Giving bribes", totaling 30 years in prison. However, defendant Nhan is still on the run and is wanted internationally.

At the appeal hearing in May 2023, former Director of Dong Nai General Hospital Phan Huy Anh Vu was considered and had his sentence reduced by 3 years. Mr. Vu must also serve a total of 16 years in prison for two crimes of "Accepting bribes" and "Violating bidding regulations causing serious consequences".

Regarding defendant Hoang Thi Thuy Nga (former Deputy General Director of AIC), the appellate court did not accept her appeal. The first instance court sentenced her to 12 years in prison for the crime of "Violating bidding regulations causing serious consequences".

Wisdom

Source