Eleven officials suspended for involvement in alleged bribery at Tenma
Hanoi (VNA) – Eleven officials, including five
in taxation and six in the customs have been suspended from work due to their involvement in an alleged bribery case at Japan’s
Tenma Vietnam company, Deputy Minister of
Finance Vu Thi Mai told a press conference in Hanoi on June 2 following the
monthly Government meeting.
Mai said the Finance Ministry set up an inspection
team on May 25 to conduct an investigation at the Department of Taxation and the
Department of Customs in the northern province of Bac Ninh in which the Japanese company is based, as well as organisations and individuals concerned.
The result of the investigation will be
announced to the press, she said.
Chief of the Office of the Ministry of Public
Security To An Xo said the ministry’s leaders had ordered the provincial public security
force to verify information on the case and work with the company and units concerned.
The ministry’s units were also assigned to work
with the Japanese side to collect relevant evidence and documents.
Xo emphasised that Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc had required relevant agencies to urgently clarify the allegation, and strictly punish violations if any, thus creating a transparent and fair environment for investment and business while preventing tax evasion.
Tenma Vietnam is a subsidiary of Japan’s
plastic product maker Tenma Corporation.
The case came into the spotlight when
Japanese media including Asahi Shimbun newspaper, Kyodo news agency
and Nikkei, reported that Tenma Vietnam gave a bribe of 25 million JPY
(232,000 USD) to several Vietnamese officials to avoid paying corporate income tax and import tax./.