Hanoi (VNA) – Procurators on January 29 proposed imprisonmentsentences ranging from 30 months to 15 years to five former officers of theMinistry of Public Security (MPS) for their public property-related wrongdoingsin Da Nang city and Ho Chi Minh City.

Specifically, they offereda jail penalty of 14-15 years to Phan Van Anh Vu (born in 1975, Chairman of theBoard of Directors of the Bac Nam 79 Construction company, former Chairman ofthe Nova Bac Nam 79 company, former Senior Lieutenant Colonel and deputy headof a division at General Department V of the MPS), a jail term of 7-8 years to PhanHuu Tuan (born in 1955, former Lieutenant General and Deputy General Directorof General Department V), and a 6-7-year imprisonment sentence to Nguyen HuuBach (born in 1963, former Colonel and deputy head of Department B61 underGeneral Department V).

All of them werecharged with “abusing position and power while performing duties” under Article356, the 2015 Penal Code.

Meanwhile, a jail termof 36-42 months was proposed for Tran Viet Tan (born in 1955, former SeniorLieutenant General and Deputy Minister of the MPS), and a sentence of 30-36months in prison recommended for Bui Van Thanh (born in 1959, former LieutenantGeneral and Deputy Minister of the MPS).

They were accused of “showingirresponsibility, causing serious consequences” under Article 285, the 1999Penal Code.

In addition, the SupremePeople’s Procuracy suggested the court to ban the five defendants from assumingpublic security positions from 3-5 years after being released from prison.

According to theindictment of the procuracy, while operating the Bac Nam 79 Construction andNova Bac Nam 79 companies, Phan Van Anh Vu, in the name of the MPS, askedministries, sectors and local administrations to rent land to him and transferthe right to use land and property on land of public housing and land projectsin prime positions in Da Nang city and HCM City to him not in line with Stateregulations.

He then made them hisown properties or his relatives’, transferred them or put them under sharedownership with other people to earn illegal profits, causing losses of morethan 1.159 trillion VND (about 50 million USD) to the State.

Phan Huu Tuan andNguyen Huu Bach proposed or submitted documents seeking the MPS leaders’approval that asked ministries, sectors and the People’s Committees of Da Nangand HCM City to create conditions for Vu’s two companies to rent land ortransfer the right to use land and property on land. Their actions caused morethan 1.134 trillion VND in losses to the State, the procuracy said.

The Supreme People’sProcuracy blamed both then Deputy Ministers of the MPS Bui Van Thanh and TranViet Tan for lacking responsibility in management. It also attributed thoseviolations partly to the lax management and infringement of regulations onpublic housing and land by some leaders of the Da Nang and HCM City People’sCommittees.

Thanh’s irresponsibilityled to nearly 223 billion VND in losses while Tan’s caused some 155 billion VNDin losses, the supreme procuracy added.

The procuracy saidthat this is a serious case which has drawn special public attention. Thejudgment of the case demonstrates the determination of the Party, State, andlaw safeguarding agencies to fight corruption, and exercise the principle oflaw supremacy with no prohibited zones and exceptions.

The trial, carried outby the Hanoi People’s Court, is scheduled to last until January 30.-VNA