On April 2, 29 people appeared before the People's Court of thenorthern mountainous province of Dien Bien charged withconducting banditry in Muong Nhe district, in accordance withArticle 83 of the Penal Code.
The Dien Bien People’sProcuracy allege that the 29 defendants are among 37 people involved in acriminal gang. Eight others are on the run, including Thao A Lu –the suspected ringleader.
The prosecutors claim thatmembers of the gang embarked on a shooting spree on October 15, 2012 atsoldiers on duty in Sen Thuong commune in Muong Nhe district, killingone border guard officer and injuring four policemen.
They said Thao A Lu and a person named Vang A Ia led a group of 19overseas Vietnamese and 16 locals in Dien Bien to perform a scheme toseize weapons and attack several targets in Muong Nhe district with thegoal to set up a so called Mong Kingdom .
They affirmed all defendants are aware of the group’s scheme tooppose the people’s administration and conduct armed activities toestablish their own " Mong Kingdom ”. They joined in the activitieswhile knowing that their acts violated the law. The prosecutors assertedthat the defendants’ acts breached the safety of the people’sadministration and disturbed social security and order.
During the trial, eight defendants are charged with conductingbanditry activities under Item 1, Article 83 of the Penal Code ,while the other 21 are accused of being accomplices in banditryactivities in accordance with Item 2 of the article.
The trial is scheduled to run until April 8.-VNA