This morning Hanoi’s People’s Court opened a trial for the former deputy director of Hai Phong City, Duong Tu Trong, and his accomplices. They are being tried for helping Duong Chi Dung, ex-chairman of state-owned shipping corporation Vinalines, leave Vietnam to avoid arrest for corruption.

>> Dung mute on mole who tipped him off on arrest >> Two ex-leaders of Vinalines face death penalty Ex-Colonel Trong, 52, who is Dung’s younger brother, and his six accomplices have been charged with “organizing other persons to flee abroad illegally,” for which they face sentences of 12 to 20 years in jail. Trong’s five accomplices are Vu Tien Son, ex-deputy head of the Social Crime Investigation Police Department under the Hai Phong Police; Hoang Van Thang, 43, former head of the Environmental Crime Investigation Police Department under Hai Phong City Police; Dong Xuan Phong, 39, a former official at Hai Phong City Customs Department; Nguyen Trong Anh, 28, a former subordinate of Son’s; Pham Minh Tuan, 45, director of Bach Dang Enterprise in Hai Phong City; and Tran Van Dung, 45, aka Dung “Bac Can,” a former underworld leader in Hai Phong. Duong Chi Dung appeared in court this morning as a witness. At his hearing on December 17, 2013, Dung, who is also former head of the Vietnam Maritime Administration, was sentenced to death on charges of “intentionally violating state regulations on economic management, causing serious consequences,” and “embezzlement.” Dung, 56, committed such offenses when he was chairman of the state-owned Vietnam National Shipping Lines (Vinalines). After the wrongdoings by Dung and others at Vinalines were uncovered and many officials involved were arrested, Dung fled Vietnam in May 2012 with the help of several police officers led by his brother Trong.

Dung was hunted internationally and was arrested in Cambodia on September 4, 2012. He was later extradited to Vietnam.  

Duong Chi Dung appears in court as a witness (Photo: Tuoi Tre)

According to the indictment, on the afternoon of May 17, 2012, he fled after receiving a tip that he would be arrested and prosecuted. He then sought help from Trong, who asked Tuan and Thang to bring Dung to his girlfriend’s father’s house in Hai Ha District, Quang Ninh Province.

Trong later asked Vu Tien Son, ex-deputy head of the Social Crime Investigation Police Department under the Hai Phong Police, to collude with five others to arrange for Dung to be taken by car from Quang Ninh Province to Ho Chi Minh City. On May 20, 2012, Trong asked Thang and Anh to take Dung to HCMC.  On the same day, Trong and Son flew from Hanoi to the city to direct efforts to help Dung flee Vietnam. On May 23, 2012, Dung “Bac Can” and Phong took Dung in a car from HCMC to Cambodia. When the car reached the Moc Bai border gate in Tay Ninh Province, Dung was arranged to be brought into Cambodia by a motorbike taxi. A day later, Phong bought tickets to fly to Singapore with Dung. Once there, Dung carried out procedures to fly to the US. However, as Dung was wanted internationally, he was not allowed to immigrate to the US. Therefore, Dung had to return to Singapore and on May 27, 2012, he returned to Cambodia, where Phong arranged for Dung to hide at his friend’s house. On September 4, 2012, Vietnamese police arrested Dung with help from their Cambodian counterparts and later extradited him to Vietnam. The Supreme People’s Procuracy affirmed that Trong was the mastermind of the plan for Dung to flee abroad, while Son, with support from the other defendants, organized and implemented the plan under Trong’s directions. The hearing, under the chair of Judge Truong Viet Toan, is expected to last until tomorrow, January 8, 2014.