Defendants at the court (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – A prison term from 12 to 13 years has been proposed for former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) Dinh La Thang, during an ongoing trial on the case of violating regulations on investment in construction works, causing serious consequences at an ethanol plant in the northern province of Phu Tho.
Combined with sentences given to him in previous cases, Thang would spend a total 30 years in prison, a procuracy representative told the trial on March 10.
For former Chairman of the Board of Directors and former General Director of the PetroVietnam Construction JSC (PVC) Trinh Xuan Thanh, the Hanoi People’s Procuracy proposed jail sentences of 11-12 years for “violating regulations on investment in construction works, causing serious consequences”, and 10-11 years for “abusing position and power while performing duties”. Taking into account previous sentences, he would face life imprisonment.
Former General Director of the PetroVietnam PetroChemicals and Biofuel JSC (PVB) Vu Thanh Ha faced proposed imprisonment of 7-8 years for “violating regulations on investment in construction works, causing serious consequences”.
Prison terms ranging from 30 months to six years were sought for other defendants, including former executives of PVB and PVC, on the same charge.
Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Director of the Kinh Bac Petroleum Construction and Investment JSC Do Van Hong would face a jail sentence of 6-7 years for “abusing position and power while performing duties”.
According to the indictment, Thang signed a resolution to approve the investment in the project in October 2007. With Thang’s instruction, PVC/Alfa Laval/Delta-T joint contractors, who had no previous experience in carrying out ethanol projects, were appointed to implement the project.
As a result, the project was continuously behind schedule and stopped in March 2013 with no construction items done.
Wrongdoings of the defendants were said to cause a loss of more than 543 billion VND (23.49 million USD).
At the court, Thanh confessed that when signing the contract on the implementation of the project with a funding of 59 million USD, he was aware that the amount is not enough to cover the implementation./.
VNA
