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Defendants are at the court on October 30 morning. |
The court has brought the case to trial for many times but it was delayed repeatedly.
The recent trial on September 29 had to be delayed as defendant Phan Minh Tan, former Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology and defendant Nguyen Quoc Thai, former Deputy Head of the Technology Management Department was hospitalized and defendant Khuat Duy Vinh Long, former officer of the Technology Management Department fled.
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A view at the court |
Accordingly, the Ho Chi Minh City’s Steering Committee on Prevention and Control of Corruption and Negative Phenomena has undertaken monitoring and direction for this case.
According to the indictment, the Ho Chi Minh City Science and Technology Development Fund is a nonprofit organization with its function of promoting the application of scientific research and technology development and transfer in Ho Chi Minh City.
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Defendant Phan Minh Tan, former Director of HCMC Department of Science and Technology is at court. |
Defendant Phan Minh Tan is the Chairman of the fund management board, and the Ho Chi Minh City Urban Development Investment Fund (HIFU) is the fund's managing agency.
In August 2009, Director of Huy Hoang Technology Investment and Development Company Nguyen Trong Vu sent an official dispatch to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Science and Technology requesting a financial support of VND5.1 billion (US$209,000) from the scientific career budget to implement project No.1.
After that, defendant Phan Minh Tan and other members appraised and approved VND4.9 billion (US$200,000) in support for this company within 18 months. Funding progress was divided into three phases.
Although the company had failed to fulfill its payment obligation as planned, Phan Minh Tan and his accomplices had proposed to allocate an additional expense with an amount of VND700 million (US$29,000) to the company.
After receiving the expense for the second phase, the Huy Hoang Company did not complete the project and failed to refund the expense to the fund causing a damage of more than VND3.1 billion (US$127,000).
In September 2009, defendant Nguyen Trong Vu continued to send an official letter to the HCMC Department of Science and Technology to make a proposal of borrowing VND10 billion (US$410,000) to implement the second project.
After the appraisal and approval processes, from the beginning of 2010, Phan Minh Tan signed a conclusion letter to announce that the project had met the requirements and agreed to lending procedures amid various objections. However, after receiving the money, Nguyen Trong Vu left Vietnam on May 13, 2011.
During the investigation process, Phan Minh Khai admitted that the Huy Hoang Company did not have enough financial capacity. However, Phan Minh Tan and his accomplices agreed to approve the lending for the company.
By June 30, 2021, the total damage from the project was more than VND19.5 billion (US$799,000) comprising both principal and interest and the total damages from the two projects were over VND22.6 billion (US$925,000).
