Hanoi (VNA) – The Hanoi People’s Court on May 28 opened the first-instance trial of Nguyen Loc An, ex-Deputy Director of the Ministry of Industry and Trade's Domestic Market Department, along with three other defendants, over violations related to the issuance of petroleum import and export licences.
An was charged with “accepting bribes”, while Nguyen Tuan Quynh, ex-Chairman of Long Hung Trading and Services Co. Ltd., was prosecuted for “giving bribes.” Tran Trac Viet Duc, Director of Bach Khoa Viet Trading, Consultancy, Investment and Construction JSC, and Do Thi Tuyet Nga, the company’s chief accountant, were accused of violating regulations on state asset management, causing losses and wastefulness.
According to the indictment by the Supreme People’s Procuracy, from January to September 2015, An, in his role as head of the inspection team for petrol trading licence applications, abused his position to solicit and receive bribes from companies seeking licences.
An allegedly received 9.2 billion VND (approximately 354,460 USD) from Tran Thi Loan Phuong, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Bach Khoa Viet, and 5 billion VND from Quynh, in exchange for facilitating their companies' applications for certificates of eligibility to act as petroleum distributors and for licences to import and export petroleum, despite their failure to meet legal requirements.
Investigators found that Phuong initially gave 200 million VND to An to help Bach Khoa Viet obtain the licences. Following An’s suggestion, she later gave an additional 9 billion VND to have the necessary documents prepared and submitted to the ministry. Phuong’s actions constituted the crime of “giving bribes.”
However, Phuong later confessed and submitted a formal complaint that led to An’s prosecution. In recognition of her cooperation and the critical role her report played in uncovering the case, prosecutors decided to grant her immunity from criminal liability. Nonetheless, the entire 9.2 billion VND involved in the bribery will be confiscated and transferred to the state budget.
The trial is expected to conclude on May 29./.
