Vietnam’s Supreme People’s Procuracy approved decisions to probe two individuals in two major cases, on the same day, July 10, 2020.
These criminal offenses were mostly committed about four years earlier, but have now been probed and investigated, nonetheless adding fire to the corrupt incinerator of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.
Mr. Vu Huy Hoang, former Minister of Industry and Trade, was charged with violating regulations on management and use of state assets, causing loss and waste.
Hoang was released on bail, forbidden to leave his residence.
According to the Vietnamese press, Mr. Hoang was charged with a mistake related to the case at Saigon Beer-Alcohol-Beverage Corporation (Sabeco).
Previously, at the end of 2016, Mr. Hoang was disciplined by the Party in the form of dismissal of the Secretary of Party Committee of the Ministry of Industry and Trade during 2011-2016.
At that time, Mr. Hoang was found wrong to accept and appoint his son, Vu Quang Hai, as a controller of Vietnam Tobacco Corporation, to join Sabeco’s Board of Directors. Later, Hai was elected as a member of the Board of Directors cum deputy general director of the country’s biggest brewer.
In early 2017, the National Assembly Standing Committee issued a resolution to remove his status of former Minister of Industry and Trade.
In addition, Ms. Ho Thi Kim Thoa, former deputy minister of Industry and Trade, was also probed on the same day, according to Vietnamese media.
According to Thanh Nien and Tuoi Tre newspapers, the Police Investigation Agency of the Ministry of Public Security has issued a decision to probe former Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Ho Thi Kim Thoa on the allegation of “violating regulations on management and use of state assets, causing loss and waste.”
Ms. Thoa was also released on bail, forbidden to leave her residence.
It is not clear whether Ms. Thoa is under investigation for involvement with Sabeco.
However, since 2017, the state-controlled media reported that her family holds 34% stake of Dien Quang lamp company valued VND700 billion ($29.8 million).
According to Thanh Nien sources, Mr. Hoang was probed in connection with the case of violating regulations on management and use of state assets causing loss and waste related to the “golden land” No. 2 – 4 – 6 Hai Ba Trung, District 1, HCM City of Sabeco.
The land lot 2 – 4 – 6 Hai Ba Trung has an area of more than 6,000 m2, known for its prime location in the center of District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, with 4 fronts of Hai Ba Trung, Dong Du and Thi Books and Me Linh Square (next to Nguyen Hue walking street).
Initially, this land area was approved by authorities to build Sabeco office and commercial, service and office centers. However, the land was then transferred to Sabeco Pearl Company – an affiliate of Sabeco.
Authorities determined that the land lot 2 – 4 – 6 Hai Ba Trung had a favorable position, but the people in charge of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City appointed the land lease without auction, causing damage to the state.
Hoang was the Minister of Industry and Trade for the period of 2011-2016. After retiring, from the end of 2016 and the beginning of 2017, the Secretariat and the Government decided to remove his status of former minister after he left the post, due to many mistakes.
Specifically, Mr. Hoang was determined to be a lack of exemplary, self-interested expression in receiving and appointing his son Vu Quang Hai as controller of Vietnam Tobacco Corporation, later appointed him to join the Sabeco’s Board of Directors. Under his influence, his son was elected as a member of the Board of Directors cum deputy general director. This violated the party Central Committee’s regulations on what members cannot do and the Secretariat’s regulations on the role of officials and party members, violating the anti-corruption law, causing annoyance in social.
In addition, Mr. Hoang also loosened leadership and inspection, leading to a number of units under the Ministry of Industry and Trade to strictly comply with regulations on recruitment, receipt, evaluation, appointment and planning of cadres according to their assignment, in order for some officials to violate the discipline. The Secretariat determined that Mr. Hoang’s violations and shortcomings had serious consequences, affecting the prestige of the Party Committee’s Committee, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and Mr. Hoang personally.
Nhat Cuong Mobile Service
In another case, Mr. Bui Quoc Viet, born in 1970, working for Hanoi-based Nhat Cuong Company, was arrested and charged with criminal offense.
Mr. Viet is older brother of Bui Quang Huy, general manager of Nhat Cuong Mobile, who is wanted by police.
Also in this case, on July 10, Vo Viet Hung, born in 1976, Director of Dong Kinh Investment and Development Co., Ltd. was probed for violating bidding regulations, causing serious consequences, specified in Clause 3, Article 222 of the Criminal Code.
The Ministry of Public Security has probed 26 individuals, including Nhat Cuong Company’s General Director Bui Quang Huy.
In which, Bui Quoc Viet was charged with “smuggling” while Vo Viet Hung was charged with “violating bidding regulations, causing serious consequences.”
This is the latest development in the investigation process of the Ministry of Public Security Police (C03) investigating the expansion of smuggling cases, violating accounting regulations with serious consequences and money laundering occurring at Nhat Cuong Software Solutions Co., Ltd and the Hanoi Department of Planning and Investment and related units.
The case is under supervision of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption.
Regarding the case, recently, the Police Investigation Agency under the Ministry of Public Security issued decisions to arrest and probe Mr. Nguyen Van Tu, chief of Hanoi City Party Committee Office and Pham Thi Thu Huong, director of the Office of Hanoi Department of Planning and Investment.
Both suspects were investigated for violating bidding regulations, causing serious consequences under Clause 3, Article 222 of the Criminal Code.
Mr. Tu’s mistake was determined to happen at the time he was the director of the Department of Planning and Investment.
Since 2016, Mr. Tu has signed a decision approving the bidding package “Digitizing documents of business registration documents in Hanoi city in 2016” with the value of nearly VND43 billion, the capital supplied from scientific technology fund.
The investigation agency has also probed Nguyen Tien Hoc – former deputy director of Hanoi Department of Planning and Investment, Pham Thi Kim Tuyen – head of business registration department under the Department of Planning and Investment, and Le Duy Tuan – business director of Dong Kinh Investment and Development Co., Ltd on “violating the regulations on bidding with serious consequences” specified in Clause 3, Article 222 of the Criminal Code.
Investigating authorities also have probed 10 individuals for various crimes including “smuggling” under Article 188 of the Criminal Code and the crime of “violating accounting regulations with serious consequences” under Article 221 of the same code.
General Director Nhat Cuong Bui Quang Huy is determined to lead a large-scale electronics smuggling line, hiding revenue of trillions of dong. Mr. Huy, who was charged with three allegations of smuggling, violating accounting regulations, which have serious consequences and money laundering, has fled Vietnam and is wanted internationally.
The police determined that Bui Quang Huy committed the use of money from smuggling offense into Nhat Cuong Company and Nhat Cuong Software, doing business for profit-making purposes and showing signs of crimes “money laundering” under Article 324 of the Criminal Code.
Thoibao.de (Translated)
