Former Hanoi Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung continues to appear in court

On the morning of August 25, the Hanoi People's Court opened the first-instance trial of former Hanoi People's Committee Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung and 14 other defendants in the case of inflating the price of trees in Hanoi.

The trial is scheduled to last five days.

In which, defendant Nguyen Duc Chung was prosecuted for the crime of "Abusing position and power while performing official duties" according to the provisions of Article 356, Clause 1 of the Penal Code.

Appearing in court with Mr. Chung were the following defendants: Vu Kien Trung (former Chairman of Hanoi Green Parks and Trees Company Limited - Hanoi Green Parks and Trees Company), Nguyen Xuan Hanh (former General Director), Bui Phuong Thao (former Chief Accountant), Do Quang Tien (former Director of the Green Tree, Flower and Ornamental Plant Production Enterprise of Hanoi Green Parks and Trees Company), Bui Van Man (former Director of Green Ecology Company), Hoang Thi Kim Loan (former Deputy Director of Green Ecology Company), Do Khac Tu Anh (former Deputy Head of the Finance and Accounting Department, Urban Infrastructure Maintenance Board of Hanoi Department of Construction), Nguyen Thi Ngoc Lam (former Appraiser, Vietnam Valuation and Financial Services Joint Stock Company).

This group was prosecuted for the crime of "Violating regulations on management and use of State assets causing loss and waste" according to the provisions of Article 219, Clause 3 of the Penal Code.

Two defendants: Nguyen Tuan Nghia (former Director of Vi Nhan Dan Company, Hoa Lac Green Company), Kieu Thi Thuy (former accountant of Hoa Lac Green Company and Vi Nhan Dan Company) were prosecuted for the crimes of "Violating regulations on management and use of State assets causing loss and waste" as prescribed in Article 219, Clause 3 of the Penal Code and "Illegal trading of invoices" as prescribed in Article 203, Clause 2 of the Penal Code.

Defendant Hoang Dinh Van (former Director of Hoang Anh Phat Company) was prosecuted for the crime of "Smuggling" under the provisions of Article 188, Clause 4 of the Penal Code.

The remaining three defendants were prosecuted for the crimes of "Illegal trading of invoices and documents for payment to the State budget" as prescribed in Article 203, Clause 2 of the Penal Code; "Lack of responsibility causing serious consequences, as prescribed in Article 360, Clause 3 of the Penal Code.

According to the indictment of the Supreme People's Procuracy, in 2016, the Hanoi People's Committee planned to plant new, replace, and supplement trees in Hanoi.

During the implementation process, a number of individuals from the Hanoi People's Committee and related units committed many violations, not implementing the bidding method according to the provisions of law but following the method of ordering trees first, then legalizing the ordering procedures, estimates, and finalization later; buying and selling trees of unknown legal sources, creating fake documents to legalize and increase the price of trees, causing serious damage to State assets.

Defendant Nguyen Duc Chung, for personal motives, violated the law on bidding to help Green Ecology Company and Hanoi Green Parks Company participate in a tree planting project in Hanoi. These companies have close relationships with defendant Nguyen Duc Chung.

With the support of Nguyen Duc Chung, these companies have illegally benefited from an exceptionally large amount of money. The Procuracy determined that Nguyen Duc Chung's actions violated the proper functioning of state agencies, negatively affecting public opinion in Hanoi's agencies, departments, and sectors, and the people.

The indictment clearly stated that the planting, replacement and addition of trees in Hanoi was carried out from 2016 to 2019. Although there was a Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee in charge of this field, defendant Chung still directly intervened and directed.

Since 2016, Nguyen Duc Chung has requested to suspend bidding in districts and reduce the focal point to the Department of Construction for implementation. Following Nguyen Duc Chung's direction, the Urban Infrastructure Maintenance Board under the Department of Construction did not organize bidding, but signed a direct order contract with the Hanoi Green Parks Company and the Green Ecology Company.

The investigation results determined that the Urban Infrastructure Maintenance Board had placed 10 contracts worth over VND241 billion with the Hanoi Parks and Trees Company; and 6 contracts with the Green Ecology Company, worth over VND43 billion. During the contract implementation, the inflated prices of trees caused a loss of over VND34 billion to the State.

This is the fourth case involving Mr. Nguyen Duc Chung, former Chairman of Hanoi People's Committee, currently serving a total sentence of 12 years in prison in three criminal cases.