HCM CITY — The HCM City People's Court has given life sentences to a business couple for bribery and cheating a bank, and 26 years' imprisonment to a former district chairman for abuse of power.
Following a two-week trial, Tran Thi Ha, former director of Thanh Phat Company, and her deputy, Ha Van Hoa, yesterday received life terms for "cheating to usurp other people's property" and "paying bribes."
Nguyen Van Khoe, former chairman of the Hoc Mon District People's Committee, got 26 years on several counts like taking bribes from the two and abusing his official capacity to influence others and appropriate property.
In 2002, Hoa and his wife Ha registered a new company claiming it was worth VND5 billion (US$250,000) when it was not even worth VND1 billion, according to the prosecution. They later falsified more documents to show it to be worth VND50 billion and secured approval to build a housing complex and industrial zone in the district's Dong Thanh Commune by bribing Khoe and other officials.
Khoe took VND1.4 billion ($72,000) and half a rhino horn worth $10,000 from the couple.
In return, he ensured that their projects were ratified by his subordinates. The court concluded that he had accepted bribes to approve the projects.
With the approvals secured, Ha and Hoa borrowed 3,000 taels of gold worth VND87 billion (US$4.3 million) at current prices and VND18 billion ($920,000) from the Cho Lon branch of the Viet Nam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, or Agribank, this time by bribing bank officials.
They did not repay the loan.
Nguyen Cong Dinh of the bank's credit department was sentenced to seven years in jail for bribery. Tran Van Tuyen, former director of the branch, and Luu Thi Minh Hien, head of the credit office, got 12 and 10 years for violating banking rules.
Also convicted was former director of the District 12-based Danh Khoa Company, Dang Cong Danh, who got eight years' imprisonment for acting as a go-between between the couple and the district officials.
Tran Van Te, former leader of Dong Thanh Commune, got 13 years for abuse of power. Duong Minh Trung, former head of the district's Planning, Finance and Investment Unit, got seven years. — VNS
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