Trial of Viet A case: Secondary defendants will be exempted from criminal liability

On the afternoon of August 16, at the press conference announcing the results of the 24th meeting of the Central Steering Committee on preventing and combating corruption and negativity, related to the handling of major and key cases (Viet A case, the case at AIC Company, Vietnam Register, etc.), Deputy Head of the Central Internal Affairs Committee Nguyen Van Yen said that the Central Steering Committee is focusing on directing very closely.

These cases will be included in the plan to complete investigation, prosecution and trial in 2023.

Mr. Nguyen Van Yen - Deputy Head of the Central Internal Affairs Commission - answered the press at the press conference on the afternoon of August 16.

"The Steering Committee has directed agencies to strive to complete the investigation from now until the end of 2023. Any case that meets the conditions will be prosecuted and tried. There are 8 key cases," said Mr. Yen.

Regarding the Viet A case series, Mr. Nguyen Van Yen said that the violations that occurred, especially the crimes in this case series, have been actively and urgently investigated, proven and clarified by the central and local investigation agencies and the functional agencies in the Vietnam People's Army.

The Steering Committee promptly directed with 8 very specific content requests, and 8/8 requests of the Steering Committee were clarified by the Central, local and relevant investigation agencies.

The Deputy Head of the Central Internal Affairs Commission said that up to now, 33 cases/111 defendants have been prosecuted with 6 crimes. The cases have reached the stage where the investigation can be completed, striving from now until the end of the year to complete the investigation, prosecution and trial of this Viet A series of cases.

In this series of cases, there are up to 33 cases, some of which have been handled by local authorities and many of which have been brought to trial, not just one case in Quang Ninh.

Mr. Yen stated that the case occurred in a special context and condition of the fight against the epidemic, so many violations and wrongdoings were for the purpose of fighting the epidemic, involving many people from ministries, branches, central and local agencies, non-state enterprises, and public-private medical facilities.

For that reason, the Steering Committee has directed, classified, and handled. It clearly agreed to strictly punish only those with positions and powers who took advantage of their positions and powers to influence and direct subordinates to violate Party and State regulations, bringing illegal benefits to Viet A Company; and the masterminds, leaders, and active practitioners who, for personal gain, have appropriated large sums of money.

"This group has now been clarified and identified," Mr. Yen affirmed.

According to Mr. Yen, there is a "secondary" group that will be exempted from criminal prosecution. This group must carry out orders and especially has no motive for profit, does not benefit, they are on the front line against the epidemic. Their violations are mainly in bidding activities.

In the context of needing immediate testing kits, superiors and competent authorities directed them to implement testing to serve the people, within their functions and duties, they only knew how to do it for the common good. For this group of subjects, the Steering Committee agreed on the policy of exemption.

"With the Viet A case series, such subjects are classified for handling according to the handling criteria guided by central prosecution agencies and are specially considered for pardon or exemption from criminal prosecution and are not subject to civil liability," Mr. Yen emphasized once again.

According to VTC News