The appeal court on May 7 upheld the death sentences of formerChairman of the Vietnam National Shipping Lines (Vinalines) Duong ChiDung and former Vinalines General Director Mai Van Phuc forembezzlement.
In addition, the two were sentencedto 18-years imprisonment for intentionally violating State regulationson economic management causing severe consequences.
The court also rejected the appeal of Tran Huu Chieu, former ViceGeneral Director of Vinalines, and Tran Hai Son, Director of VinalinesShip Repair Co. Ltd, who were sentenced to 19 years and 22 years,respectively, behind bars on the same charges.
Atthe same time, the court kept the sentences of seven years in prison toMai Van Khang, a member of the Vinalines project management board, andLe Van Duong, a former official at the Vietnam Registry, forintentionally violating State regulations on economic management causingsevere consequences.
It accepted appeals lodged byHuynh Huu Duc, Le Ngoc Trien and Le Van Lung, former officials at VanPhong Customs Office, the central province of Khanh Hoa ,reducing their sentences from eight to six years.
Regarding civil liability, the original verdict for Dung, Phuc, Son andChieu was upheld, under which the four were ordered to pay back over 28billion VND (1.33 million USD) they had embezzled as well as joiningother defendants in paying nearly 326 billion VND (15.5 million USD) intotal for the damage they had caused for Vinalines.
Before giving out the ruling, the jury affirmed that the accusedintentionally violated State regulations on investment, bidding andcustoms procedures through the purchase and repair of Floating Dock 83M,causing serious damage for the State budget.
Thoseviolations aimed to appropriate 1.666 million USD from buying thefloating dock from the Singapore-based AP company, it concluded.
The jury made the conclusion after considering documents provided bylawyers, testimonies of the accused and presentations by others at thetrial, which began on April 24.-VNA