The defendants were brought to trial for the crimes of: Giving bribes, Receiving bribes and Abusing positions and powers while performing official duties. They include: defendants Mai Tien Dung (former Minister, Head of the Government Office), Nguyen Cao Tri (General Director of Saigon Dai Ninh Company - SGDN), Tran Duc Quan (former Secretary of Lam Dong Provincial Party Committee), Tran Van Hiep (former Chairman of Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee), Le Quoc Khanh (former Deputy Director of the Department of Inspection for Handling Complaints and Denunciations, Region 2 (Department II), Government Inspectorate);

Hoang Van Xuan (former chief inspector of Department II, Government Inspectorate), Nguyen Nho Dinh (former chief inspector of Department II, Government Inspectorate), Nguyen Ngoc Anh (former chief inspector, Chief Inspector of Lam Dong province), Nguyen Hong Giang (former Director of the Department of Inspection for Handling Complaints and Denunciations, Region 2 (Department II), Government Inspectorate) and Tran Bich Ngoc (former Director of the Department of Monitoring Inspection Work; Handling Complaints and Denunciations; Preventing Corruption, Smuggling, Trade Fraud and Counterfeit Goods (Department I), Government Office).

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Mr. Mai Tien Dung, former Minister, Head of the Government Office. Photo: Hoang Ha

In which, defendant Nguyen Cao Tri was brought to trial for the crime of Bribery. Defendants Tran Duc Quan, Tran Van Hiep, Le Quoc Khanh, Hoang Van Xuan, Nguyen Nho Dinh, Nguyen Ngoc Anh were tried for the crime of Receiving Bribes. Defendants Nguyen Hong Giang, Mai Tien Dung and Tran Bich Ngoc were brought to trial for the crime of Abusing position and power while performing official duties.

According to the accusation, due to determining violations of the law in land management, use and construction investment, the Government Inspectorate (GIA) issued Conclusion 929 recommending to terminate operations and reclaim land of the Dai Ninh project in accordance with the law.

After agreeing to buy back the Dai Ninh project, Mr. Nguyen Cao Tri used money and relationships to influence defendants from the Government Office (GOO) and the Government Inspectorate to collude, agree, bribe, and manipulate a number of people from the Government Inspectorate and the Lam Dong Provincial Party Committee and People's Committee so that they could take advantage of their assigned positions and powers to commit acts contrary to their official duties.

These people helped Mr. Tri change Inspection Conclusion No. 929 from terminating operations and reclaiming land of the project to not reclaiming, extending progress and continuing to implement the project according to Conclusion 1033, causing especially serious consequences.

In this case, Mr. Tran Duc Quan, in his role as Secretary of Lam Dong Provincial Party Committee, received 2.1 billion VND from Mr. Nguyen Cao Tri 5 times to carry out work as requested by Mr. Tri. Defendant Quan directed his subordinates to carry out procedures, thereby helping SGDN Company to extend and delay the progress of the Dai Ninh project in violation of the law.

Mr. Tran Van Hiep, in his role as Chairman of Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee, received 4.2 billion VND from defendant Tri 7 times to carry out work as requested by Mr. Tri, directing subordinates to help SGDN Company carry out procedures to change Conclusion 929 not to revoke and extend the Dai Ninh project in violation of the law.

Meanwhile, Mr. Mai Tien Dung was accused that, although he was not in charge of the inspection and handling of petitions, due to his acquaintance with Mr. Nguyen Cao Tri, he received the petition of SGDN Company from Mr. Tri; wrote notes and directed the former head of Department I, the Government Office to advise, seek opinions and convey the opinions of the Government leaders on transferring the petition, assigning the Government Inspectorate to inspect, review and resolve the reflections and petitions of SGDN Company through 2 submission forms and 2 documents of the Government Office, contrary to the provisions of law.

This created the premise for the Government Inspectorate to establish a working group to verify the application according to Decision 50/QD-TTCP dated March 1, 2021. During the implementation process, Mr. Mai Tien Dung was given 200 million VND by Mr. Nguyen Cao Tri.

The trial is expected to last 5 days (including holidays).