Former leaders and individuals involved in repatriation flights stand trial this morning.
The Hanoi People's Court summoned 60 people with related interests and obligations along with 40 witnesses to participate in the trial this morning.
Of these, there were Viet Travel Tourist Trading Joint Stock Company, An Binh Air Services and Tourism Trading Company Limited, Blue Sky Travel Services Trading Company Limited, Minh Ngoc Trading and Service Ticket Room Air Company Limited, Nhat Minh Travel and Catering Joint Stock Company, ATA Investment Consultant Company Limited and so on.
Among those on trial, defendant To Anh Dung, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs was accused of the crime of receiving briberies for 37 times, with a total of VND21.5 billion (nearly US$1 million); defendant Vu Hong Nam, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs received bribes twice with nearly VND2 billion (US$84,000); defendant Nguyen Thi Huong Lan, former Head of the Consular Department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was prosecuted for the crime of receiving bribes for 32 times with a total amount of more than VND25 billion (US$1.1 million); defendant Pham Trung Kien, former Secretary of the Deputy Minister of Health received bribes 253 times, totaling to more than VND42.6 billion (US$1.8 million).
Additionally, former Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Chu Xuan Dung was accused of the crime of receiving briberies seven times with a total amount of more than VND2 billion (US$84,000) in total; former Vice Chairman of Quang Nam Provincial People's Committee Tran Van Tan was prosecuted for the crime of receiving bribes nine times with VND5 billion (US$210,000) and former assistant to the Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Quang Minh received bribes five times with more than VND4.2 billion (US$176,000).
Some Vietnamese ambassadors and foreign affairs staff in Japan, Malaysia, Russia and Angola were also accused of the crime of receiving bribery.
The trial set a new record with the participation of nearly 120 lawyers registering to protect the legal rights and interests of the defendants.
Some photos were captured by Sai Gon Giai Phong Newspaper’s reporters at the court this morning.
