The former Chairman of Vietnam National Shipping Lines (Vinalines) DuongChi Dung pleaded guilty to deliberately violating State regulations oneconomic management, causing severe consequences, on the first day of anappeal hearing in Hanoi on April 22.
Former Vinalines GeneralDirector Mai Van Phuc and former Director of the Vinalines Ship Repaircompany Tran Hai Son also admitted mismanagement in the purchasing of afloating dock, which prosecutors allege was a front for multi-milliondollar fraud.
All the men have denied charges of embezzlement, however.
In the afternoon, the jury panel questioned representatives fromVinalines, the Vietnam Register and the Transport ministry to clarifythe nature of the alleged violations.
According to theindictment issued at the court, during 2007-2008, Dung and his fellowdefendants violated regulations on investment, bidding and customsprocedures for import and export through the purchase and repair of thedock. The malpractice caused losses of 366.9 billion VND (17.2 millionUSD) to the State budget, the court heard.
Through the deal, Dung, Phuc, Son and Tran Huu Chieu, former DeputyDirector of Vinalines, allegedly appropriated over 1.6 million USD.Prosecutors argue that Son and Dung signed papers requesting State fundsto buy the dock, built in 1965, from the Singapore-based AP company at aprice of 9 million USD, despite knowing that it was damaged and out ofuse. Furthermore, it is believed that the Singaporean firm hadthemselves bought the dock from its initial owner for only 2.3 millionUSD.
Dung, while admitting violatingmanagement rules, has denied receiving 10 billion VND (476,000 USD) fromSon in commission for organising the scheme.
He toldthe court that the fact that his family repaid 4.7 billion VND (220,000USD) to the State since his arrest was merely to remedy some of thedamage his actions had caused.
The Hanoi People’s Court onDecember 16, 2013 sentenced Dung and Phuc to death for embezzlement, andan 18-year imprisonment for intentionally violating State regulationson economic management causing severe consequences.
Chieu was sentenced to 19 years behind bars while Son got 22 years in jail on the same charges./.
Former Vinalines GeneralDirector Mai Van Phuc and former Director of the Vinalines Ship Repaircompany Tran Hai Son also admitted mismanagement in the purchasing of afloating dock, which prosecutors allege was a front for multi-milliondollar fraud.
All the men have denied charges of embezzlement, however.
In the afternoon, the jury panel questioned representatives fromVinalines, the Vietnam Register and the Transport ministry to clarifythe nature of the alleged violations.
According to theindictment issued at the court, during 2007-2008, Dung and his fellowdefendants violated regulations on investment, bidding and customsprocedures for import and export through the purchase and repair of thedock. The malpractice caused losses of 366.9 billion VND (17.2 millionUSD) to the State budget, the court heard.
Through the deal, Dung, Phuc, Son and Tran Huu Chieu, former DeputyDirector of Vinalines, allegedly appropriated over 1.6 million USD.Prosecutors argue that Son and Dung signed papers requesting State fundsto buy the dock, built in 1965, from the Singapore-based AP company at aprice of 9 million USD, despite knowing that it was damaged and out ofuse. Furthermore, it is believed that the Singaporean firm hadthemselves bought the dock from its initial owner for only 2.3 millionUSD.
Dung, while admitting violatingmanagement rules, has denied receiving 10 billion VND (476,000 USD) fromSon in commission for organising the scheme.
He toldthe court that the fact that his family repaid 4.7 billion VND (220,000USD) to the State since his arrest was merely to remedy some of thedamage his actions had caused.
The Hanoi People’s Court onDecember 16, 2013 sentenced Dung and Phuc to death for embezzlement, andan 18-year imprisonment for intentionally violating State regulationson economic management causing severe consequences.
Chieu was sentenced to 19 years behind bars while Son got 22 years in jail on the same charges./.
