Former chairman,vice chairman of Binh Thuan Province People’s Committee detained

Accordingly, on May 3, 2021 IPA received the decision to verify reports on the case of law breaking in nine land use and housing development projects in Binh Thuan Province.

After careful investigation, on February 10, 2022 IPA issued a decision to prosecute a criminal case and to detain five people, namely Nguyen Ngoc Hai (born in 1962, former chairman of Binh Thuan Province People’s Committee), Luong Van Hai (born in 1960, former vice chairman of Binh Thuan Province People’s Committee), Ho Lam (born in 1960, former director of Binh Thuan Province Department of Natural Resources and Environment), Le Nguyen Thanh Danh (born in 1980, former deputy director of Binh Thuan Province Department of Natural Resources and Environment), and Ngo Hieu Toan (born in 1977, deputy director of Binh Thuan Province Finance Department).

This is the latest decision, approved by the Supreme People's Procuracy of Vietnam, related to the case of Tan Viet Phat 2 Commercial, Service, and Residential Area Project (land lot No.18, 19, 20) in the land resource on both sides of Vo Nguyen Giap and Nguyen Thong Streets (formerly called 706B Street) in Phu Hai Ward of Phan Thiet City in Binh Thuan Province.

The suspects have the sign of ‘violating regulations on management and use of the State assets, causing loss and waste’, as prescribed in Clause 3 of Article 219 in the 2015 Penal Code.

Before this, on January 14, 2022 the Public Security Minister cooperated with representatives of the Supreme People's Procuracy of Vietnam and functional units to carry out careful investigation and discovered that the three mentioned land lots with a total area of over 92,000m² was given by Binh Thuan Province People’s Committee to the main investor – Tan Viet Phat – in 2017.

The land had been used as a concentrated cemetery land. After the relocation of the cemetery, many deep holes, walls, and tombstones were left unsightly, leading to the reluctance of potential investors due to spiritual beliefs. After many auction announcements from 2013-2015 without any participants, Binh Thuan Province People’s Committee decided it is eligible to consider leasing the land without land use auction.

Related to this case, the Governmental Inspector Office has already made conclusion on the action of Binh Thuan Province People’s Committee giving the land use right without auction of various land lots: Bien Que Huong Community Resport, Hamubay Phan Thiet, Tan Vien Phat 2 Commercial, Service, and Residential Area, Le Quy Don Kindergarten.