Nguyen Huu Tin, former Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, at the trial (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) – A prison sentence of 7 – 8 years has been proposed for Nguyen Huu Tin, former Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, for his wrongdoings in the management and use of state assets.
The municipal People’s Procuracy proposed sentences for Tin and four accomplices on December 27 as part of the first-instance trial of the defendants, who were accused of violating regulations on the management and use of state assets, causing losses and wastefulness.
Aside from Tin, a jail term of 7 – 8 years was also proposed for Dao Anh Kiet, former Director of the HCM City Department of Natural Resources and Environment.
The procuracy suggested prison sentences of 5 – 6 years for Le Van Thanh, former Deputy Chief of the Office of the municipal People’s Committee, and Truong Van Ut, former deputy head of the land management division at the Department of Natural Resources and Environment.
Meanwhile, Nguyen Thanh Chuong, former head of the urban division at the Office of the municipal People’s Committee, was proposed to serve 4 – 5 years behind bars.
The procuracy said as cadres and leaders of agencies, the defendants had a good grasp of the regulations on land and State asset management, but they defied legal regulations and caused great losses. Therefore, they must be strictly handled to help consolidate the people’s trust in the Party and State, and show that there are no “off-limits” zones in crime punishment.
It noted Tin and the other defendants helped the now-jailed Phan Van Anh Vu (also known as “Vu Nhom”, Chairman of the Da Nang-based Bac Nam 79 Construction JSC and the Nova Bac Nam 79 JSC), to acquire many State-owned buildings and land lots in prime locations in HCM City at low prices, causing great damage to the State.
The State suffered a loss of over 6.7 billion VND (289,370 USD at the current exchange rate) due to the illegal support for the Bac Nam 79 company and over 802 billion VND worth of land use fee for the land lot at 15 Thi Sach street in HCM City.
When receiving the proposal to permit the Bac Nam 79 company to directly sign a contract for leasing the land at 15 Thi Sach street, Tin did not report it to the chairperson of the municipal People’s Committee at that time but assign the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to give instructions for making procedures.
After that, the four others advised Tin to issue illegal decisions on land lease, house sale and tax deductions.
The procuracy said Dao Anh Kiet was clearly aware that the land and buildings at 15 Thi Sach street were public assets, but he still signed many documents proposing the illegal decisions. Additionally, his refusal of his wrongdoings showed that he did not realise his role and responsibility as the leader of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment. Therefore, Kiet must bear responsibility at the similar level with Tin’s.
The trial is scheduled to end on December 30./.
VNA
