Former Deputy Director of the Department of Planning and Investment of Ho Chi Minh City assisted in violations, benefited nearly 2 billion VND

The Economic Police Department (C03) of the Ministry of Public Security has just completed the investigation conclusion and proposed to prosecute 14 defendants in the case that occurred at the Ho Chi Minh City Biotechnology Center (CNSH Center) related to the International Progress Joint Stock Company (AIC Company).

Ms. Tran Thi Binh Minh at the time of her arrest

In this case, 14 defendants were proposed to be prosecuted in 4 groups of crimes: violating bidding regulations causing serious consequences, giving and receiving bribes, and abusing positions and powers while performing official duties. In particular, Ms. Tran Thi Binh Minh, former Deputy Director of the Department of Planning and Investment of Ho Chi Minh City, and Mr. Phan Tat Thang, former Deputy Head of the Department of Industry Economics under this department, were also proposed to be prosecuted for abusing positions and powers while performing official duties.

Turn a blind eye to wrongdoing

According to the investigation conclusion, in her position, Ms. Minh was assigned to be in charge of the Economic Department, responsible for appraising and approving projects, including the project of 12 laboratories of the Center for Biological Sciences.

In the project, defendant Duong Hoa Xo, former Director of the Center for Biotechnology, and the leadership group of AIC Company colluded in bidding so that this enterprise would win the bid with 40% of the profits in 8 bidding packages at the Center for Biotechnology. These bidding packages were divided into 3 phases and as soon as phase 1 was implemented in 2015, Mr. Xo realized that the progress was taking too long, so if he continued with phases 2 and 3, it would not be as planned. Therefore, Mr. Xo asked Ms. Minh to adjust the project and asked defendant Tran Manh Ha, Deputy General Director of AIC Company, to "contact and influence" Ms. Minh.

With the help of Mr. Xo and Ha, Ms. Minh took advantage of her position and authority to direct Mr. Thang and some subordinates to prepare an appraisal report and submit it to Ms. Minh for approval to adjust the project before the appraisal was organized in order to arrange capital in time.

During the appraisal, Ms. Minh clearly knew that Mr. Xo had arbitrarily approved the adjustment of the equipment list, the budget of 4 phase 1 bidding packages, and organized the bidding and implemented the contract without submitting it to the competent authority to adjust the project and budget according to regulations. However, Ms. Minh "turned a blind eye" and did not request to review and handle the violations to recover the amount of money disbursed in violation of regulations.

In addition, Ms. Minh also directed Mr. Thang to report the problems and then signed the draft appraisal report on her own. After that, the Department of Planning and Investment of Ho Chi Minh City issued a decision approving the budget for Phase 2 and 3 with a capital of nearly 300 billion VND without meeting with the relevant departments. This action indirectly helped AIC Company win the bid and implement the bidding packages at the Center for Biotechnology against regulations, causing a loss of more than 94 billion VND.

Benefit nearly 2 billion VND

Given favorable conditions, defendant Tran Manh Ha came to "send gifts" to Ms. Minh 4 times with a total amount of 900 million VND. In addition, Mr. Xo also "gave" Ms. Minh 1 billion VND, after receiving a bribe of 14.4 billion VND from AIC Company. The total amount of money that Ms. Minh illegally received in the case was 1.9 billion VND.

Mr. Phan Tat Thang also received a Tet gift from AIC Company employees at his office along with an envelope of 50 million VND.

During the investigation, the police, prosecutors, and lawyers organized for Ms. Minh to draw a diagram of the office and hallway where she received money from defendants Xo and Ha. Ms. Minh was also allowed to determine the location of the objects and the location of the gift bags containing money; identify the gift bags she received, and then reenact the entire process of receiving money. Everything was recorded in full, according to the investigation conclusion.

Realizing her wrongdoing, Ms. Minh forced her family to return 800 million VND. This defendant is currently being detained in Bac Ninh, awaiting trial.

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