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The former Secretary, former Chairman and 10 leaders of Binh Duong province's departments and branches were tried today in the case of illegally transferring two "golden land" lots, causing a loss of nearly 6,000 billion VND.
On August 15, the Hanoi People's Court opened the first-instance trial of Mr. Tran Van Nam, 59 years old, former Secretary of the Binh Duong Provincial Party Committee, and Mr. Tran Van Liem, 60 years old, former Chairman of the Binh Duong Provincial People's Committee, along with 26 others in the case of violations of 188 hectares of "golden land".
28 people were prosecuted for the crimes of: Violating regulations on management and use of state assets causing loss, waste and embezzlement of assets. Of these, 24 cases were temporarily detained.
The court announced that two people had requested to be tried in absentia: defendant Pham Van Canh, former Standing Deputy Secretary of the Binh Duong Provincial Party Committee, due to brain surgery, and Do Thi Thanh Thuy, former chief accountant of Binh Duong Import-Export Production Corporation, who had just given birth.
Lawyer Dinh Anh Tuan, defending defendant Nguyen Dai Duong, requested the court to summon Mr. Bui Pham Hai, Deputy Head of the Investigation Police Agency, Binh Duong Provincial Police, and Mr. Vu Minh Sang, former Deputy Secretary of Binh Duong Provincial Party Committee, on the grounds that they wanted to clarify many evidences and documents in the file.
Some lawyers proposed to summon representatives of the State Audit... In response to the above opinions, the People's Procuracy said that the absence of defendants Canh and Thuy had objective reasons, so it proposed that the panel of judges accept.
Because the trial lasted for many days, with the relevant person absent today, the People's Procuracy proposed that the panel of judges could continue to summon in the following days.
During the 20-day trial, the panel of judges plans to summon 24 agencies and individuals with related rights and obligations, including the Provincial Party Committee, People's Committee, Tax Department, Department of Finance and Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Binh Duong province.
Forensic experts from three ministries: Natural Resources and Environment, Finance and Planning and Investment, and the Criminal Proceedings Valuation Council of Binh Duong province were summoned.
The victim of the case is the General Corporation for Production - Import - Export.(SX-XNK)Binh Duong port.
Former Secretary of Binh Duong Provincial Party Committee Tran Van Nam. Photo: Pham Du
The nearly 100-page indictment states that in 2003, the People's Committee of Binh Duong province requested approval of the project to develop the Binh Duong Industrial - Service - Urban Complex to create land funds to develop industrial, service and high-end urban area projects.
To compensate for site clearance, the People's Committee of Binh Duong province allocated land to Binh Duong Import-Export Production Corporation, which at that time was a 100% state-owned enterprise, with Binh Duong Provincial Party Committee as the owner.
Authorities allege that when the site clearance of the complex was not yet completed, Mr. Nguyen Van Minh, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Binh Duong Production and Import-Export Corporation, had a policy of turning the 43-hectare and 145-hectare land into a golf course, racetrack and other services for the purpose of joint venture or transfer to partners.
The projects have not been approved and have not been granted land use right certificates, but Mr. Minh has directed the signing of joint venture contracts with partners to buy and sell two plots of land.
Mr. Minh was accused of taking advantage of his position to manipulate the activities of the Board of Members for personal purposes, directing the illegal transfer of a 43-hectare land plot and using a 145-hectare land plot at a value lower than 1/10 of the actual price to contribute capital with two backyard companies to establish a joint venture company.
Mr. Minh is considered the mastermind, directly causing damage to state assets of more than 5,000 billion VND. He is also accused of embezzling more than 815 billion VND in the process of buying and selling shares of Binh Duong Production-Import-Export Corporation, of which he directly appropriated 163 billion VND.
Mr. Nguyen Van Minh, 67 years old, was brought into the courtroom at 6:50 a.m. on August 15. Photo: Pham Du
Former Provincial Party Secretary Tran Van Nam was assessed to have committed "particularly serious" violations, and was the highest-ranking person among the 28 defendants. He knew that the Binh Duong Provincial Tax Department's proposal to apply the 2006 land price to calculate land use fees for the land allocated to Binh Duong Import-Export Production Corporation in 2012 was against regulations, but he still decided to implement it.
After committing violations in land transfer, Mr. Nam did not force Binh Duong Production-Import-Export Corporation to remedy the consequences but intentionally allowed the company to continue committing wrongdoings.
The former secretary directed his subordinates to adjust official documents, distorting the nature of the content of official documents related to the land. Mr. Nam's violations were accused of causing a total loss of VND1,745 billion to the State.
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Truc, former Vice Chairman of Binh Duong Provincial People's Committee. Photo: Pham Du
Former Chairman of Binh Duong Province, Tran Van Liem, was accused of knowing that the 145-hectare land plot had been approved by the province for use and inheritance into the asset value of Binh Duong Production-Import-Export Corporation after equitization.
Mr. Liem also wrote that the land was contributed to the capital of Mr. Minh's backyard company, but he still signed a decision not to include this land in the enterprise value after equitization. Mr. Liem's actions were accused of causing a loss to the State of more than 4,000 billion VND.
According to VnExpress
