Prosecution of former Vice Chairman of Dong Nai Provincial People's Committee for 'transforming' public land into private land

On November 13, the Investigation Police Agency (IPA) of Dong Nai Province Police issued a decision to prosecute Mr. Vo Van Chanh, former Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, to investigate violations of regulations on land management.

According to the Investigation Police Agency, the decision to prosecute was made by Dong Nai Provincial Police when expanding the investigation into phase 2 of the case "Turning 9 hectares of public land into private land", causing damage to the State of nearly 79 billion VND. Previously, in phase 1 of the case, 13 defendants were prosecuted and brought to trial for the crime of "Violating regulations on compensation, support, and resettlement when the State reclaims land".

According to the investigation, in 2015, Mr. Truong Quoc Tuan, Director of Phuoc Thai Housing Investment and Trading Joint Stock Company (Phuoc Thai Company) signed a contract with Huy Hoang Company to transfer a 9-hectare land plot in Tam Phuoc Ward (Bien Hoa City) for more than 35 billion VND.

At this time, Mr. Truong Quoc Tuan sent an official dispatch to the People's Committee of Dong Nai province proposing to adjust the planning of the above land from industrial land to commercial residential area.

In 2017, Mr. Vo Van Chanh, Vice Chairman of Dong Nai Provincial People's Committee, signed 2 decisions on land allocation and land lease for Phuoc Thai Company to implement the Phuoc Thai Commercial Residential Area Project.

The investigation agency determined that Mr. Chanh's signing of the land transfer without auctioning the land use rights was not in accordance with the provisions of the 2013 Land Law.

Regarding violations at the Phuoc Thai Commercial Residential Area Project, in 2022, the Provincial Police Department of Investigation prosecuted 13 defendants related to these violations. The case was brought to trial in August 2023.

Accordingly, the Trial Council sentenced defendant Truong Quoc Tuan (48 years old, former General Director of Phuoc Thai Housing Investment and Trading Joint Stock Company) to 14 years in prison; Nguyen Tan Long (58 years old, former Vice Chairman of Bien Hoa City People's Committee) to 10 years in prison; Nguyen Tan Tai (61 years old, former Director of the Provincial Land Fund Development Center, Bien Hoa City branch) to 9 years in prison and defendant Nguyen Huu Thanh (59 years old, residing in Tam Phuoc ward) to 7 years in prison.

Nguyen Tan Vinh (62 years old, former Head of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Bien Hoa City) 8 years in prison; Ho Ba Minh (64 years old, former Deputy Head of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Bien Hoa City) 6 years in prison; Truong Thanh Giau (46 years old, specialist at the Land Fund Development Center) 6 years in prison; Nguyen Mong Hien (55 years old, specialist at the Provincial Land Fund Development Center - Bien Hoa City branch).

Defendants Vo Cao Cuong (44 years old, former Chairman of Tam Phuoc Commune People's Committee) and Nguyen Van Duc (62 years old, Vice Chairman of Tam Phuoc Commune People's Committee) were both sentenced to 7 years in prison; Nguyen Anh Thuong (41 years old), Vo Van Huy (41 years old) were both sentenced to 4 years in prison.

The above defendants were sentenced by the Trial Council for the crime of "Violating regulations on compensation and resettlement support when the State acquires land".

As for defendant Le Viet Hung (66 years old, former Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment), the Trial Council sentenced him to 5 years and 6 months in prison for the crime of "Violating regulations on land management".