Trial of former Bac Ninh Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Nhan Chien and accomplices related to the AIC case

On the morning of October 29, the People's Court of Bac Ninh province opened the first-instance trial of 13 defendants in the case of violating bidding regulations causing serious consequences; giving bribes; receiving bribes; taking advantage of positions and powers while performing official duties occurring at the Medical Construction Project Management Board under the Department of Health of Bac Ninh province, International Progress Joint Stock Company (AIC) and related units.

The trial panel consists of 5 people: 2 judges, 3 people's jurors, chaired by Judge Vu Cong Dong (Chief Justice of Bac Ninh Provincial People's Court).

Three prosecutors of the Supreme People's Procuracy and two prosecutors of the People's Procuracy of Bac Ninh province were assigned to exercise the right to prosecute and supervise the first-instance trial of this case.

The 13 defendants who must appear in court in this case include: Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan (born in 1969, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors and General Director of AIC Company) and 3 defendants who are former leaders and employees of AIC Company: Nguyen Hong Son (born in 1970, Deputy General Director), Nguyen Viet Toan (born in 1979), Nguyen Dang Linh (born in 1989); La Tuan Hung (born in 1973, General Director of Song Hong Joint Stock Corporation) and Dang Xuan Minh (born in 1977, Chairwoman of the Board of Directors, General Director of BTC VALUE Valuation Joint Stock Company).

The seven defendants are former leaders and officials of Bac Ninh province, including: Nguyen Nhan Chien (born in 1960, former Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee), Nguyen Tu Quynh (born in 1959, former Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee), Tran Van Tuynh (born in 1960, former Director of the Medical Construction Project Management Board), Nguyen Hanh Chung (born in 1964, former Director of the Department of Health), Nguyen Van Nhuong (Nguyen Tien Nhuong, born in 1959, former Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee), Nguyen Dang An (born in 1974, former Head of the General Planning Department, Medical Construction Project Management Board under the Department of Health), Nguyen Kim Huan (born in 1984, former Deputy Head of the General Planning Department, Medical Construction Project Management Board under the Department of Health).

In which, defendant Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan was prosecuted by the Supreme People's Procuracy for the crime of bribery under the provisions of Article 364, Clause 4 - Penal Code.

Four defendants: Nguyen Nhan Chien, Nguyen Tu Quynh, Tran Van Tuynh, Nguyen Hanh Chung were prosecuted for bribery under Article 354, Clause 4 - Penal Code.

Defendant Nguyen Van Nhuong was prosecuted for the crime of abusing his position and power while performing official duties as prescribed in Article 356, Clause 3 - Penal Code.

7 defendants: La Tuan Hung, Nguyen Hong Son, Nguyen Dang An, Nguyen Kim Huan, Dang Xuan Minh, Nguyen Viet Toan, Nguyen Dang Linh were prosecuted for violating bidding regulations causing serious consequences as prescribed in Article 222, Clause 3 - Penal Code.

The two defendants Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan and Nguyen Hong Son are on the run and have been issued special wanted notices by the Ministry of Public Security's Investigation Police Agency. The court decided to try these two defendants in absentia.

A total of more than 20 lawyers participated in protecting the legal rights and interests of 13 defendants. In addition, the Trial Council also summoned more than 30 people and organizations with related rights and obligations, along with 25 witnesses to the trial.

According to the indictment of the Supreme People's Procuracy, during the implementation of the Bidding Plan for 6 equipment procurement packages at 6 investment projects to build district-level general hospitals in Bac Ninh province, the defendants, who are investors, contractors, and price appraisal units, committed acts of bribery, violating bidding regulations, causing serious consequences.

The defendants belonged to state management agencies who committed acts of bribery and abused their positions and powers while performing official duties.

These violations were aimed at allowing AIC Company and companies in the AIC ecosystem, companies in the Song Hong Group to win bids for 6 medical equipment procurement packages at 6 district-level general hospital projects in Bac Ninh province, causing losses to the State of more than 48.6 billion VND.

The Procuracy determined that defendant Nguyen Thi Thanh Nhan took advantage of her previous acquaintance with the leaders of Bac Ninh province to request and receive the agreement of defendant Nguyen Nhan Chien and other defendants to divide the implementation of bidding packages, creating conditions for AIC Company and Mopha Company (established and directed by Nhan) to bid and win 3 bidding packages for the procurement of medical equipment at 3 District General Hospital Projects: Gia Binh, Thuan Thanh, Luong Tai, with a total winning bid value of more than 126 billion VND.

Nhan directed Nguyen Hong Son, Deputy General Director, to assign AIC Company employees to collude with Tran Van Tuynh and employees of the Project Management Board and the price appraisal unit to legalize the estimated price, bidding documents, and arrange "blue team" companies to bid so that AIC Company and Mopha Company would win the bid, causing damage to State assets of nearly 26 billion VND.

To achieve the goal of illegal profit through illegal bidding, Nhan gave bribes to people in positions of authority, including leaders of the Provincial Party Committee and People's Committee of Bac Ninh province, a total of 4.1 billion VND, of which former Secretary of the Bac Ninh Provincial Party Committee Nguyen Nhan Chien received 3 billion VND.

The trial is expected to last 3 days from October 29 to 31.