On March 31, Gia Lai Provincial Police announced that they had prosecuted Mr. Ho Van Diem (born in 1968, former Chairman of the Provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee) and Ms. Dinh Thi Giang (former Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee) for the crime of "Lack of responsibility causing serious consequences".

Headquarters of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Gia Lai province, where Mr. Ho Van Diem used to work. Photo: Contributor

Mr. Diem was accused of being irresponsible in allowing Ms. Do Thi Thu Hien (accountant of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Gia Lai province) to embezzle more than 4 billion VND from the COVID-19 Prevention and Control Fund from the account of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Gia Lai province.

For his wrongdoings at the agency, Mr. Diem was disciplined with a warning by the Gia Lai Provincial Party Committee. He is currently undergoing a health assessment to apply for retirement.

Ms. Dinh Thi Giang - Standing Member of the Provincial People's Council, Head of the Ethnic Committee of the Gia Lai Provincial People's Council (former Standing Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Gia Lai Province) was disciplined by the Provincial Party Committee's Inspection Committee with a reprimand.

Ms. Giang was accused of letting the agency's accountant embezzle money from the COVID-19 Prevention and Control Fund for personal use.

According to documents, from February 2021 to April 2023, Ms. Do Thi Thu Hien took advantage of her assigned duties and responsibilities to create fake documents to withdraw more than 4 billion VND from the Gia Lai Province COVID-19 Prevention and Control Fund from the bank account of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the province.

When the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of the province decided to disburse funds from the COVID-19 Prevention and Control Fund to agencies, Ms. Hien was unable to pay so she fled.

After the police issued a wanted notice, Ms. Hien turned herself in. In May 2023, the Investigation Police Agency initiated a case, prosecuted the accused and detained Ms. Hien for 4 months.