The Hanoi People’s Court on Friday condemned four ex-officials to life in prison for receiving bribes during Vietnam’s arrangement of flights to repatriate Vietnamese citizens stranded overseas amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The four included Pham Trung Kien, former secretary of a deputy minister of health; Vu Anh Tuan, a former officer of the Ministry of Public Security’s Immigration Department; Nguyen Thi Huong Lan, former head of the Consular Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Hoang Van Hung, an ex-investigator from the Security Investigation Authority under the Ministry of Public Security.

Kien was found to have taken 253 bribes at a total value of over VND42.6 billion (US$1.8 million), the highest among the accused. He was the only defendant in the case on whom the Hanoi People’s Procuracy had earlier proposed a death sentence.

Pham Trung Kien, former secretary of a deputy minister of health at the court in Hanoi. Photo: Nam Anh / Tuoi Tre

According to the court, the procuracy’s proposal was appropriate but Kien showed repentance for his violations, so it is unnecessary to remove him from social life permanently.

Kien and his family have submitted over VND42.2 billion ($1.77 million) to ease the consequences of his violations.

Meanwhile, Tuan and Lan received bribes valued at VND27 billion ($1.1 million) and over VND25 billion ($1.05 million), respectively.

Nguyen Thi Huong Lan, former head of the Consular Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Photo: Nam Anh / Tuoi Tre

Hoang Van Hung was charged with appropriating $800,000. During the trial, only Hung claimed innocence and denied the procuracy’s accusations, while other defendants pled guilty.

There are good reasons to conclude that Hung had received a Samsonite attaché case containing $450,000 to help Le Hong Son, former general director of Blue Sky Trading, Services and Tourism Company in Hanoi, and Nguyen Thi Thanh Hang, former deputy general director of the company, also involved in repatriation flights, escape investigations.

Hung was a senior investigator but abused his power and position to appropriate a large amount of money. He did not honestly declare his violations, show repentance, and ease the consequences of his violations, according to the court.

Therefore, the court handed down a heavier sentence on him compared with a jail term of 19 to 20 years proposed by the Hanoi People’s Procuracy.

Police officers take Hoang Van Hung (in white T-shirt), an ex-investigator from the Ministry of Public Security’s Security Investigation Authority, to the court in Hanoi. Photo: Danh Trong / Tuoi Tre

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs To Anh Dung got a jail term of 16 years for receiving bribes totaling VND21.5 billion ($908,485).

Seventeen other defendants accused of taking bribes will stay behind bars for 18 months to 12 years each.

The 21 defendants receiving bribes must pay a fine of VND100 million ($4,212) each.

The court gave a jail term of 18 months to four years to each of the four defendants charged with abusing positions and powers while on duty.

Among 23 defendants giving bribes, mainly executives of enterprises, Nguyen Thi Thanh Hang, former deputy general director of Blue Sky Trading - Services and Tourism Company, received the longest prison term of 11 years, followed by Le Hong Son, former general director of the company, with 10 years.

Four defendants charged with brokering bribery were given a jail term of of 15 months to five years each.

Tran Minh Tuan, director of Thai Hoa Construction JSC, got a jail term of 18 years for appropriating nearly VND5.7 billion ($240,474) and giving bribes worth VND800 million ($33,750).

Former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs To Anh Dung (standing). Photo: Nam Anh / Tuoi Tre

According to the indictment, in early 2020, Vietnam closed itself off to the world in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The country organized nearly 2,000 flights during the COVID-19 pandemic to repatriate more than 200,000 Vietnamese nationals from 60 countries and territories, as commercial flights were not available during the period, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

During the process of licensing the flights and approving the quarantine plans in localities from September 2020 to December 2022, 54 people were found to have committed law violations.

Of the defendants, 21 were accused of taking bribes, while 23 were charged with giving bribes, four with brokering bribery, and four others with abusing positions and powers while on duty, the Vietnam News Agency reported.

One defendant was prosecuted for committing fraud for property appropriation and the other is accused of committing fraud for property appropriation and giving bribes.

The total amount of bribery money in this case reached $9.5 million, according to Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper.

The People’s Court of Hanoi launched the first-instance trial of the 54 defendants on July 11.

The trial lasted for 18 days, 12 days fewer than scheduled.

Like us on Facebook or  follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!