On the afternoon of September 9, in Hanoi, the Government Office held a regular Government press conference for August 2023 after the regular Government meeting held on the same day. Minister, Head of the Government Office Tran Van Son, Government Spokesperson, chaired the press conference.
At the press conference, the press reporter sent questions to Lieutenant General To An Xo - Spokesperson of the Ministry of Public Security regarding the Viet A case. Specifically, in early June 2023, the Ministry of Public Security said that Viet A earned a profit of about 4,000 billion VND and spent about 800 billion VND on bribery, but in the issued investigation conclusion, the Ministry of Public Security determined that the amount of money Viet A had illegally profited was more than 1,200 billion VND, the amount spent on bribery was more than 106 billion VND. Could the Ministry of Public Security explain the difference in these numbers?
According to the conclusion, although some leaders received large thank-you payments, they were only prosecuted for abuse of power and violations of bidding regulations in the Viet A case. So how does the Ministry of Public Security explain this? And is the investigation agency - the Ministry of Public Security considering continuing to expand the investigation of this case?
Minister, Head of the Government Office Tran Van Son, Government Spokesperson, chaired the press conference.
Responding to the above content, explaining the difference between the initial figures announced by the investigation agency on revenue, amount of money (commission, bribery) compared to the investigation conclusion, Lieutenant General To An Xo said: After initiating the case, Phan Quoc Viet and related defendants declared that the company had revenue and profit of about 4,000 billion VND. Of which, Phan Quoc Viet used 20 to 25% of this amount, equivalent to about 800 billion VND, to pay a percentage outside the contract for units and partners to buy test kits, supplies, and other medical biological products.
"This is the initial statement of Viet A and the investigation agency. The Spokesperson provided reporters with information at previous meetings. After the investigation conclusion was issued on August 17, there were some discrepancies in the numbers," said Mr. To An Xo.
Lieutenant General To An Xo explained specifically: Firstly, it is impossible to use the initial statements of the subjects as a basis for the investigation conclusion, because the principle is "evidence is more important than statements".
Second, only when there is sufficient evidence to prove who gave the money and how much money was given can a prosecution be initiated, investigated, concluded and prosecuted.
Third, the evidence is clear to the conclusion.
Fourth, in addition to the Ministry of Public Security assigning C03 to conduct the investigation, it has also assigned and entrusted the investigation to the police of 61 provinces and cities related to the Viet A case. Currently, some provinces are still investigating to clarify the amount of illegal profits and bribes in this case.
Lieutenant General To An Xo answered questions from the press at the press conference.
Explain why, for the same act of receiving money, one defendant is prosecuted for this crime, and another defendant is prosecuted for another crime? Lieutenant General To An Xo said that the methods, manners and circumstances of receiving money of the defendants in the Viet A case are very different. Some defendants make requests, state agreements and set conditions with the person giving the money. And they receive the money and then handle the matter of the two parties making requests.
Meanwhile, there are subjects and defendants who do not make any requests, agreements or conditions in handling work. And they receive money and gifts after the work has been completed.
"There are defendants who said that they received these as gifts, but they were still criminally prosecuted. Thus, different motives and actions in receiving money will be handled differently," Mr. To An Xo clearly stated.
Providing more information about the Viet A case, Mr. To An Xo said that the investigation and prosecution of the defendants for the crimes in the investigation conclusion (the Ministry of Public Security has proposed to prosecute 38 defendants for 6 crimes) has been conducted by the Ministry of Public Security scientifically, objectively, comprehensively, thoroughly, strictly implementing the provisions of the law. Thoroughly grasping and implementing the policy: Humane, compassionate but also very strict as directed by the Central Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption and Negativity.
Along with that, there is a clear distinction between each defendant and each criminal act in a thorough manner; clearly analyzing which circumstances are aggravating, which are mitigating, and which are lenient on the principle of not allowing injustice, not letting criminals escape, no forbidden areas, no exceptions.
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