After more than half a day of time for the representative of the Hanoi People's Procuracy to announce the indictment, on the afternoon of January 3, the panel of judges began questioning the defendants in the "big case" of Viet A.
In the case, defendants Chu Ngoc Anh, former Minister of Science and Technology; and Pham Cong Tac, former Deputy Minister of the same ministry, were both prosecuted for violations in the management and use of state assets causing waste and loss.
Former Minister Nguyen Thanh Long and Chu Ngoc Anh appear in court for the Viet A case
"Translation is messy, don't remember to return the money received from Viet A"
At court, defendant Chu Ngoc Anh admitted that the indictment was correct and that throughout the past time he had been aware of his responsibility before the law.
Overview of the trial
According to the indictment, defendant Chu Ngoc Anh and Mr. Pham Cong Tac clearly knew that the research topic and test manufacturing belonged to the state, but when their subordinates advised, these two defendants still signed decisions assigning Viet A Technology Joint Stock Company (Viet A Company) as the unit to coordinate the research topic with the Military Medical Academy. In addition, Mr. Tac also signed a decision to establish a council to accept the first phase of the topic in violation of regulations, leading to Viet A Company using the acceptance report, preparing registration documents and being granted a registration number for the circulation of the test by the Ministry of Health in violation of regulations so that this company could produce, consume and make illegal profits.
Mr. Chu Ngoc Anh also proposed to reward Viet A Company and agreed to let Mr. Tac organize a press conference, support the media about the research results and issue circulation numbers, polish the image and brand of Viet A Company, creating conditions for this company to turn the testing test from a state product into its own. The actions of the two defendants caused a loss of 18.98 billion VND.
In court, Mr. Chu Ngoc Anh said that he was only determined to fight the epidemic, thinking that the Military Medical Academy was in charge and had a branch contract with Viet A Company, so he became lax.
Regarding the amount of 200,000 USD received from defendant Phan Quoc Viet, Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Director of Viet A Company, defendant Chu Ngoc Anh said that at first he did not know that the gift Viet brought was money, he only thought it was a product of Viet A Company.
Defendant Chu Ngoc Anh
According to Mr. Chu Ngoc Anh, in 2020, Mr. Viet came to meet him to report on the results of the epidemic prevention. After the defendant finished the meeting, Mr. Viet came to meet him for about 15 minutes and then left, leaving behind a gift. Mr. Chu Ngoc Anh said that he thought they were Viet A products so he put them away. A month later, the former Minister of Science and Technology opened it and found out that there was money inside the gift package.
"Knowing that receiving money from the company was wrong, I intended to return it, but the office was not finished yet so I asked him to take it home. After that, Hanoi was in chaos so I did not remember to return it, I was very sad," Mr. Chu Ngoc Anh stated, adding that he had repeatedly texted his family to return the money he received from Viet A Company, as well as the amount of money determined to have been lost.
The judge announced that the defendant Chu Ngoc Anh's family had paid twice, totaling 4.6 billion VND.
Quick view 12:00 on January 3: Former gray-haired minister appears in court in Viet A case
Former deputy minister denies taking $50,000
Testifying before the People's Court, defendant Pham Cong Tac said that he was aware that in his role as an assistant to the minister, he was responsible for managing the project, but hoped the People's Court would consider it.
With the accusation of receiving 50,000 USD from Phan Quoc Viet, Mr. Tac only admitted to the number of 100 million VND.
Defendant Pham Cong Tac
According to defendant Tac, in April 2021, Mr. Viet texted that he wanted to visit. When he left, Mr. Viet left a gift bag with a test kit and said "there is a peach blossom branch for Tet as a gift".
"The defendant thought that he received a peach blossom branch according to the East Asian custom during Tet. When checking, he found 2 files, each containing 50 million VND and 1 test box. The amount received was not correct," defendant Tac stated.
Before this testimony, the judge asked defendant Viet to confront him. Viet said he could not remember exactly because he had asked Mr. Vu Dinh Hiep, Deputy General Director of Viet A Company, to prepare it. Defendant Viet said: "Usually, USD is more convenient, it has been too long and I cannot remember everything."
The judge continued to let defendant Hiep come forward to confront him, Mr. Hiep also said that "it's been so long that I don't remember". However, at that time, Mr. Hiep often carried USD with him.
The judge questioned defendant Viet again: "Defendant affirms how much did you give defendant Tac?", Mr. Viet still replied that he could not remember clearly, but out of habit, that was the number that would be used often and VND was used but only in some situations.
When questioned further, Mr. Tac continued to confirm that he received a Tet gift from Mr. Viet of 100 million VND along with a few other small items. The defendant said that he had told his family to compensate for this amount.
The judge said that Mr. Tac's family had returned 80 million VND and the panel of judges had many ways to prove that the defendant had received 50,000 USD from Mr. Viet as alleged.
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