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Dec 26, 2018 / 12:22

Vietnam’s media names 10 notorious trials in 2018, senior officials in spotlight

Linh Pham

Vietnam`s courts have brought to justice many senior officials, including a Politburo member.

Tien Phong newspaper has named 10 outstanding court cases in 2018 which have caught public attention with the defendants being high-profile officials. 
 
Dinh La Thang at a court. Photo: VOV
Dinh La Thang at a court. Photo: VOV
1. Dinh La Thang, former member of the Politburo – the country’s most powerful body – was sentenced to a total of 30 years in prison in two separate cases for “deliberately violating state regulations on economic management, causing serious damage”. The cases that he was involved in caused a loss of nearly VND920 billion (US$40 million). He was also asked to compensate more than VND600 billion (US$26 million) to the state. 

So far, Thang has been the first Politburo member brought to justice. 
 
Nguyen Thanh Hoa and Phan Van Vinh at a court. Photo: Tienphong
Nguyen Thanh Hoa and Phan Van Vinh at a court. Photo: Tienphong
2. Two senior police officers namely Lieut. Gen Phan Van Vinh and Major General Nguyen Thanh Hoa were sentenced to 9 and 10 years in jail, respectively, for covering up the biggest-ever disclosed online gambling ring. They were also expelled from the Party. The gambling ring leaders earned nearly VND10 trillion (US$435 million) after running the ring for 28 months. 
 
Trinh Xuan Thanh at a court. Photo: Tienphong
Trinh Xuan Thanh at a court. Photo: Tienphong
3. Trinh Xuan Thanh, who was president of state-run PetroVietnam Construction (PVC) and fled to Germany, was given a life sentence for “deliberate legal infractions” and “embezzlement”. Big international news agencies quoted the German Federal Foreign Office as saying that some Vietnamese agencies and the Vietnamese embassy in Germany involved in the kidnapping of Trinh Xuan Thanh in Germany. But the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ spokeswoman rejected the accusation.
 
Phan Van Anh Vu at a court. Photo: Tienphong
Phan Van Anh Vu at a court. Photo: Tienphong
4. Property tycoon Phan Van Anh Vu was sentenced to a total of 25 years in jail for “disclosing state’s secrets” and “abusing power for appropriating state assets”. Involving in one of Vu’s project, CEO Tran Phuong Binh of DongA Bank will serve the rest of his life in prison. 

5. Former deputy governor of the State Bank of Vietnam Dang Thanh Binh was given three-year probation for mismanagement in Pham Cong Danh-led Vietnam Construction Bank. Pham Cong Danh and his accomplices caused a loss worth VND15 trillion (US$435 million) to the bank.
 
Tram Be at a court. Photo: Tienphong
Tram Be at a court. Photo: Tienphong
6. Different jail terms were given to executives of Vietnam Construction Bank including a 20-year imprisonment to former president Pham Cong Danh, 10-year sentence to former general director Phan Thanh Mai. Meanwhile, Tram Be, member of board of directors at SacomBank, was given four-year imprisonment for deliberate legal violations. 
 
Nguyen Xuan Son and Ha Van Tham. Photo: Tienphong
Nguyen Xuan Son and Ha Van Tham. Photo: Tienphong
7. Former chairman of OceanBank Ha Van Tham was sentenced to life in prison for deliberate legal infractions, breaking regulations on lending, influence peddling, assets appropriation, and embezzlement. Nguyen Xuan Son, former general director of the bank, was given death penalty for the same charges. The trio and their accomplices caused a loss worth VND2 trillion (US$87 million) to the bank. 
 
Le Ngoc Hoang at a court. Photo: Tienphong
Le Ngoc Hoang at a court. Photo: Tienphong
8. A supreme court in Hanoi quashed the conviction of container driver Le Ngoc Hoang in which he was sentenced to six years in jail for violating regulations on speed limits and braking distance. Hoang’s conviction has triggered indignation among drivers nationwide. 
 
Hoang Cong Luong at a court. Photo: Tienphong
Hoang Cong Luong at a court. Photo: Tienphong
9. Doctor Hoang Cong Luong was brought to justice for involvement in a hemodialysis that killed 8 patients. The doctor petitioned an appeal, saying that he was only in charge of treatment, but not involved in medicine or equipment. 
 
Dinh Ngoc He at a court. Photo: Tienphong
Dinh Ngoc He at a court. Photo: Tienphong
10. Senior Lieut. Colonel Dinh Ngoc He (Ut “troc”) was brought to a military court and sentenced to 12 years behind bars. The armed forces officer, who was former deputy general director of the Ministry of Defense’s Thai Son Company, was jailed for influence peddling, using falsified papers, and mismanagement. 

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