Hanoi (VNA) - Prosecutors on December 16 proposed lighter sentences for several defendants in the ongoing appeal hearing of the high-profile Phuc Son Group corruption case, citing a thorough review of case documents, first-instance trial records and new mitigating factors presented at the appellate stage.
They recommended cutting the sentences of Hoang Thi Thuy Lan, former Secretary of the Party Committee of Vinh Phuc province (before its administrative merger with Phu Tho and Hoa Binh), by 24-30 months; Le Duy Thanh, former Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, by 30-36 months; and Pham Hoang Anh, former Vice Secretary of the provincial Party Committee, by 18-24 months.
At the first-instance trial, Lan was sentenced to 14 years in prison for receiving bribes, while Thanh received 12 years and Anh eight years for the same offence.
For those convicted of abusing position and power while performing official duties, prosecutors urged the appellate court to convert prison terms to suspended sentences for former Secretary of the provincial Party Committee Pham Van Vong, former Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Phung Quang Hung, and former Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Ha Hoa Binh.
On charges of violating bidding regulations and causing serious consequences, prosecutors sought reductions of six to nine months for former Chairman of the Vinh Tuong district People’s Committee Bui Minh Hong and former Vice Chairman of the Vinh Tuong district People’s Committee Hoang Quoc Tri.
Separately, Le Viet Chu, former Secretary of the Party Committee of Quang Ngai province (before its merger with Kon Tum), and several ex-local officials did not file appeals. However, following petitions for leniency from various entities and individuals, prosecutors also put forward reductions of18-24 months for them.
They similarly advocated six- to nine-month reductions for the remaining defendants.
Earlier, the Hanoi People’s Court held the first-instance trial from June 24 to July 11. Nguyen Van Hau, Chairman and CEO of Phuc Son Group, was charged with giving bribes and violating bidding and accounting regulations, causing serious consequences. He received a combined jail sentence of 30 years - 14 years for bribery, nine years for the bidding violation, and seven years for accounting irregularities.
According to the first-instance verdict, Hau exploited personal and professional connections to bribe over 132 billion VND (over 5 million USD) to leaders of the Party Committees, People’s Committees, and departments in Vinh Phuc and Quang Ngai, enabling Phuc Son Group to secure many contracts in these localities and Phu Tho province.
After winning the contracts, Hau illegally directed their transfer, causing state losses of over 459 billion VND. He also instructed the use of two separate accounting systems, resulting in 504 billion VND in unpaid taxes.
Prosecutors determined that total losses from violations in bidding, accounting, and land revaluation in the case exceeded 1.16 trillion VND./.
