Appeal proceedings start for former Hà Nội People's Committee chairman

Former Chairman of the capital People's Committee Nguyễn Đức Chung at the appellate court on Monday morning. — VNA/VNS Photo Phạm Kiên

HÀ NỘI — The High People's Court in Hà Nội on Monday morning started the appeal proceedings of former Chairman of the capital's People's Committee Nguyễn Đức Chung and two other defendants in the 2016 Nhật Cường bidding interference case.

The case saw Nhật Cường company win two digitisation projects at the Hà Nội Department of Planning and Investment, aided by Chung and several others for their own benefit.

The appellate court is set to take place between Monday and Wednesday. Judge Nguyễn Hải Thanh will chair the trial panel.

Of the seven defendants in the case, three appealed.

Defendant Chung asked the appellate trial panel to reconsider its first-instance judgment while defendant Phạm Thị Kim Tuyến, former head of the department's Business Registration Office, and defendant Phạm Thị Thu Hường, the former chief of the department's office, have petitioned the court to reduce their penalties.

Through lawyers, Chung submitted several documents, including medical records from Vinmec International General Hospital; medical records of Vietsing International Clinic; medical records of the National Cancer Hospital; and minutes of an examination dated October 18, 2020, at the Ministry of Public Security's August 19 Hospital.

A lawyer for Chung said that all the medical records diagnosed Chung as suffering from rectal cancer, and as being monitored for lung metastasis.

In addition to the medical records, Chung also submitted 85 certificates of merit and medals from his work at the Police Department to the People's Committee of Hà Nội to petition the court to mitigate his penalties.

Previously, the first-instance court determined that Chung intervened so that Nhật Cường Company won two digitisation packages. Chung was sentenced to three years for "abusing position and power while performing duties."

According to the indictment, the department had invested in digitising business registration documents.

However, during the bidding package, proposed by Bùi Quang Huy, General Director of Nhật Cường, Chung ordered a halt in the bidding process, which was against regulations.

Chung abused his position and power to illegally interfere in bidding activities, so the company won two bidding packages.

Later, he asked the department to allow Nhật Cường to pilot the digitisation, to make the company win the bid and to personally enjoy the benefits, causing losses of over VNĐ26.5 billion (US$1.16 million) to the State budget.

The court ruled that Huy was the initiator and mastermind of the crime. However, he is on the run and still wanted by the investigating agency. When caught, he will be punished according to law.

At the first-instance trial, defendant Nguyễn Văn Tứ, former director of the department, was sentenced to 30 months in prison; Nguyễn Tiến Học, former deputy director of the department, received two years and six months in jail; Phạm Thị Kim Tuyến, former head of the department's Business Registration Office, was sentenced four years and six months in prison; and Phạm Thị Thu Hường, former chief of the department's office received three years and six months in jail.

Võ Việt Hùng, former director of Đông Kinh Company, was sentenced to four years in prison, and Lê Duy Tuấn, former business director of the company, was given three years and six months. — VNS

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