Former Ben Tre Secretary Le Duc Tho was proposed to be sentenced to 28-29 years in prison.

On the morning of November 25, the trial of the case at Xuyen Viet Oil Trading, Transport and Tourism Company Limited continued with the indictment and sentence proposal of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Procuracy.

The representative of the People's Procuracy said that this is a particularly serious corruption and economic case related to energy security and banking and finance.

The defendants’ criminal acts are complex and involve many ministries, sectors and localities. Among them, the group of defendants who received bribes are people with high positions and powers.

The representative of the People's Procuracy proposed that the People's Court sentence the defendant Le Duc Tho (former Secretary of the Ben Tre Provincial Party Committee) from 15 to 15 years and 6 months in prison for the crime of Receiving bribes and from 13 to 13 years and 6 months in prison for the crime of Abusing position and power to influence others for personal gain. The total sentence is 28 - 29 years in prison. The People's Procuracy also proposed an additional fine of 100 million VND for each crime.

Defendant Le Duc Tho was proposed to be sentenced to 28 - 29 years in prison. (Photo: Hoang Tho)

According to the People's Procuracy, defendant Le Duc Tho, while holding the position of General Director and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Vietinbank, took advantage of his position to accept bribes and exert influence for personal gain. During the period 2019 - 2021, he received 600,000 USD (13.8 billion VND) from Mai Thi Hong Hanh to approve a credit limit of 5,000 billion VND for Xuyen Viet Oil Company.

In addition, when he was Secretary of Ben Tre Provincial Party Committee in 2021, Mr. Tho influenced the Director of Vietinbank's Ben Tre branch so that Xuyen Viet Oil Company could borrow 400 billion VND with preferential interest rates and a credit ratio of 40%.

Mr. Tho received money and assets from defendant Mai Thi Hong Hanh (Director of Xuyen Viet Oil Company) many times, totaling 22.8 billion VND. In total, Mr. Tho received bribes and took advantage of his position and power to influence others to gain more than 33 billion VND.

According to the People's Procuracy, defendant Tho confessed honestly, repented, actively cooperated with the investigation agency, had many outstanding achievements in work, received many certificates of merit, overcame all consequences of the case, and returned more than 34 billion VND...

For defendant Mai Thi Hong Hanh (Director and Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Xuyen Viet Oil), the People's Procuracy proposed a sentence of 20 years in prison for the crime of Violating regulations on management and use of state assets causing loss and waste, and 10-12 years in prison for the crime of Bribery. The total sentence is 30 years in prison.

In civil matters, defendant Hanh was ordered to pay a total compensation of more than 1,400 billion VND.

Defendant Nguyen Thi Nhu Phuong (former Deputy Director of Xuyen Viet Oil) was proposed to be sentenced to 6-7 years in prison for violating regulations on management and use of state assets, causing loss and waste.

For the group of crimes of Receiving bribes, the People's Procuracy proposed: Tran Duy Dong (former Director of the Domestic Market Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade) from 7 to 8 years in prison; Hoang Anh Tuan (former Deputy Director of the Domestic Market Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade) from 7 to 8 years in prison; Le Duy Minh (former Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Tax Department) 6 to 7 years in prison; Phan Kien Anh (former Director of Nghi Son Oil Refinery Product Distribution Branch) 4 to 5 years in prison; Do Thang Hai (former Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade) 3 to 4 years in prison. Nguyen Loc An (former Deputy Director of the Domestic Market Department, Ministry of Industry and Trade) 4 to 5 years in prison; Dang Cong Khoi (former Deputy Director of the Price Management Department, Ministry of Finance) 2 to 3 years in prison.

For the bribery group, the People's Procuracy proposed: Defendant Nguyen Van Thang (former Deputy Director of Hanoi Branch - Xuyen Viet Oil) from 4 - 5 years in prison; Dong Xuan Dung (freelance worker) from 30 - 36 months in prison; Vu Trung Thanh (former Director of Vietinbank Thanh Xuan Branch) 30 - 36 months suspended sentence; Dinh Tien Dung (former accountant of Xuyen Viet Oil Company) and Nguyen Tan Long (former Head of Sales Department of Xuyen Viet Oil) both 18 - 24 months suspended sentence.

Hoang Tho

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/cuu-bi-thu-ben-tre-le-duc-tho-bi-de-nghi-muc-an-28-29-nam-tu-ar909512.html