In a case currently being heard by the Hanoi People's Court, four security guards from the Central Institute of Mental Health are facing proposed prison sentences of 3 to 4 years for receiving bribes ranging from 400,000 to 570,000 VND. The prosecution, represented by the People's Procuracy (VKS), contends that these guards repeatedly allowed patients to escape and informed them of inspections by authorities, thereby compromising the integrity of the institution.

The four defendants, aged between 62 and 69, are among more than 40 individuals implicated in a broader scandal involving the institute, which includes high-ranking officials and medical staff accused of receiving bribes totaling millions of VND, in addition to luxury gifts such as motorcycles and vacations at five-star resorts.

According to the VKS, the guards' acceptance of relatively small bribes does not diminish the severity of their actions. They are accused of undermining the operational integrity of the Central Institute of Mental Health, which is supposed to prevent patients from escaping. The prosecution highlighted that the guards maintained extensive communication with the patients, enabling numerous escapes. For instance, one guard allegedly assisted a patient in escaping 30 times.

The VKS emphasized that the consequences of the guards' actions extend beyond the monetary amounts involved, as they significantly disrupted the management and security protocols of the facility. The guards argued that they felt threatened by associates of the patients, but the VKS countered that if they were genuinely intimidated, they could have reported the threats to authorities or refused the bribes.

The court is currently deliberating, with a verdict expected to be announced on October 7. The former director of the institute, Trần Văn Trường, faces the highest proposed sentence of 20 years in prison among the defendants.