Defendant Trinh Xuan Thanh (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Six outof eight defendants in the asset embezzlement case at PetroVietnam Power Land JSC(PVP Land) have so far lodged their appeals against the first-instancesentences handed down by the Hanoi People’s Court on February 5.
Former Chairman of the Board ofDirectors of PetroVietnam Construction Corporation (PVC) Trinh Xuan Thanh askedthe appeal court to reconsider the life sentence imposed upon him on the chargeof “asset embezzlement”, insisting he is innocent.
Dinh Manh Thang, former Chairmanof the Board of Directors of Song Da Oil and Gas Investment and Commerce JSC,who was sentenced to nine years in prison, appealed for a reduction of his jailterm.
Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa, formerchief accountant of 1/5 Construction and Services JSC and Minh Ngan JSC, arguedthat she did not gain anything in the case and asked for a re-consideration ofthe entire case and the 6-year imprisonment imposed on her.
Thai Kieu Huong, former DeputyGeneral Director of Vietsan Investment JSC, and Huynh Nguyen Quoc Duy, aself-employed trader, both complained that their 10-year sentences is too heavyon them and called for a review of their roles in the case and reduction oftheir punishment.
Dao Duy Phong, former Chairmanof PVP Land’s Board of Directors, appealed against his sentence of 16 years,saying that it is unreasonable. He also asked for the return of 2 billion VNDout of the money that his family had paid to correct the consequences of thecase, alleging that it was the amount exceeding the total sum he received fromthe embezzlement.
Phong’s wife, Nguyen Thuy Hoa,who was involved in the case as a person with related interests andobligations, also lodged an appeal requesting the return of the 2 billion VND forthe same reason as Phong said.
Two remaining defendants in thecase, namely Nguyen Ngoc Sinh, former PVP Land General Director who got a13-year sentence, and Le Hoa Binh, former Chairman of the Board of Directors of1/5 Construction and Services JSC who was sentenced to eight years in prison, havenot lodged their appeal.
All these defendants werecharged with “asset embezzlement” in accordance with Article 278, Clause 4,Count a of the 1999 Penal Code (now is Article 353, Clause 4, Count a of the2015 Penal Code).
At the first instance trial, thecourt concluded that Thanh, Thang, Huong, Phong, Sinh and Duy contacted andconnived with Binh and Thoa to implement the signing of a transfer contract atthe Nam Dan Plaza project with the price of 34 million VND (1,506 USD) persq.m, lower than the deposit price of 52 million VND (2,303 USD) per sq.m, toappropriate a differential sum of more than 87 billion VND (3.86 million USD).
Of the money, Thanh arrogated 14billion VND, while Thang pocketed 5 billion VND; Phong, 8 billion VND; andSinh, 2 billion VND.
Dang Si Hung, chief of PVPLand’s economic and planning division, who died during the investigation,appropriated 20 billion VND. Due to his death, the Supreme People’s Procuracydecided to cancel the investigation against him.
The defendants received a totalof 49 billion VND from the deal.
According to the verdict, amongthe defendants, Thanh played the decisive role in the case, followed by Phongand Sinh.-VNA
Former Chairman of the Board ofDirectors of PetroVietnam Construction Corporation (PVC) Trinh Xuan Thanh askedthe appeal court to reconsider the life sentence imposed upon him on the chargeof “asset embezzlement”, insisting he is innocent.
Dinh Manh Thang, former Chairmanof the Board of Directors of Song Da Oil and Gas Investment and Commerce JSC,who was sentenced to nine years in prison, appealed for a reduction of his jailterm.
Nguyen Thi Kim Thoa, formerchief accountant of 1/5 Construction and Services JSC and Minh Ngan JSC, arguedthat she did not gain anything in the case and asked for a re-consideration ofthe entire case and the 6-year imprisonment imposed on her.
Thai Kieu Huong, former DeputyGeneral Director of Vietsan Investment JSC, and Huynh Nguyen Quoc Duy, aself-employed trader, both complained that their 10-year sentences is too heavyon them and called for a review of their roles in the case and reduction oftheir punishment.
Dao Duy Phong, former Chairmanof PVP Land’s Board of Directors, appealed against his sentence of 16 years,saying that it is unreasonable. He also asked for the return of 2 billion VNDout of the money that his family had paid to correct the consequences of thecase, alleging that it was the amount exceeding the total sum he received fromthe embezzlement.
Phong’s wife, Nguyen Thuy Hoa,who was involved in the case as a person with related interests andobligations, also lodged an appeal requesting the return of the 2 billion VND forthe same reason as Phong said.
Two remaining defendants in thecase, namely Nguyen Ngoc Sinh, former PVP Land General Director who got a13-year sentence, and Le Hoa Binh, former Chairman of the Board of Directors of1/5 Construction and Services JSC who was sentenced to eight years in prison, havenot lodged their appeal.
All these defendants werecharged with “asset embezzlement” in accordance with Article 278, Clause 4,Count a of the 1999 Penal Code (now is Article 353, Clause 4, Count a of the2015 Penal Code).
At the first instance trial, thecourt concluded that Thanh, Thang, Huong, Phong, Sinh and Duy contacted andconnived with Binh and Thoa to implement the signing of a transfer contract atthe Nam Dan Plaza project with the price of 34 million VND (1,506 USD) persq.m, lower than the deposit price of 52 million VND (2,303 USD) per sq.m, toappropriate a differential sum of more than 87 billion VND (3.86 million USD).
Of the money, Thanh arrogated 14billion VND, while Thang pocketed 5 billion VND; Phong, 8 billion VND; andSinh, 2 billion VND.
Dang Si Hung, chief of PVPLand’s economic and planning division, who died during the investigation,appropriated 20 billion VND. Due to his death, the Supreme People’s Procuracydecided to cancel the investigation against him.
The defendants received a totalof 49 billion VND from the deal.
According to the verdict, amongthe defendants, Thanh played the decisive role in the case, followed by Phongand Sinh.-VNA
VNA
