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Former Minister of Industry and Trade faces jail term of 10-11 years

Former Minister of Industry and Trade faces jail term of 10-11 years

Vu Huy Hoang and other defendants at the court - PHOTO: VNA

HCMC – The Hanoi People’s Procuracy on April 24 proposed sentencing former Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang to 10-11 years behind bars for his alleged violations in a case at the Saigon Beer-Alcohol-Beverage Company (Sabeco).

According to the procuracy, despite extenuating circumstances and poor health conditions, Hoang must face the heaviest punishment as he played the main role in the case, leading to the violations of other defendants, the local media reported.

He was accused of violating regulations on the management and use of State assets, causing losses and wastefulness.

Former head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Light Industry Department Phan Chi Dung faced a prison term of seven to eight years for the same charge as Hoang.

Meanwhile, former HCMC vice chairman Nguyen Huu Tin, former deputy director of the HCMC Department of Planning and Investment Lam Nguyen Khoi and former director of the HCMC Department of Natural Resources and Environment Dao Anh Kiet may stay behind bars for four to five years each.

In addition, a jail term of three to four years was suggested for former deputy chief of the secretariat of the HCMC People’s Committee Le Van Thanh, former head of the HCMC Department of Planning and Investment’s Infrastructure Development Division Le Quang Minh, former head of the Urban Division at the HCMC People's Committee Office Nguyen Thanh Chuong and former deputy head of the Land Management Division at the department Truong Van Ut.

The procuracy also proposed a prison term of two to three years for Nguyen Lan Chau, an official of the Land Management Division of the HCMC Department of Natural Resources and Environment.

These eight defendants were charged with allegedly infringing regulations on land management.

Among them, five had been handed down prison sentences in other cases, so Tin may have to serve a prison term of 12-13 years; Kiet, 10.5-11.5 years; Thanh, seven-eight years; Chuong, six-seven years; and Ut, eight-nine years.

According to the procuracy, this was an extremely serious case. Defendants held important posts at the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the HCMC government but allegedly transferred State assets to a private firm illegally, damaging the people’s confidence and causing losses of over VND2.7 trillion for the State.

The procuracy also suggested the court ask the HCMC government to cancel a decision to lease the land lot at 2-4-6 Hai Ba Trung Street and related documents.

Sabeco, under the Ministry of Industry and Trade, received the lot to build its headquarters and a trade, service and office center. However, Vu Huy Hoang, former Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Ho Thi Kim Thoa and Phan Chi Dung allowed Sabeco and three corporate shareholders to set up the Sabeco Pearl Investment JSC to carry out the Saigon Me Linh Tower project at the location.

After Sabeco completed procedures for the project, the Ministry of Industry and Trade directed Sabeco to divest from the project. Sabeco illegally transferred the rights to use the land lot to Sabeco Pearl, causing a loss of over VND2.7 trillion for the State.

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