Defendant Ut "bald" continues to appear in court after life sentence

On March 22, the High-Level People's Court in Ho Chi Minh City opened an appeal hearing for the case of violations at the Trung Luong - Ho Chi Minh City Expressway committed by defendants Dinh Ngoc He (aka Ut "troc", former Deputy General Director of Thai Son Company, Ministry of National Defense) and Mr. Dinh La Thang (former Minister of Transport) and Nguyen Hong Truong (former Deputy Minister of Transport).

The appeal hearing was opened following the appeal for a reduction in sentence of the defendants Dinh Ngoc He, Pham Van Diet (Executive Director of Duc Binh Company), Vu Thi Hoan (Director of Yen Khanh Company) and Pham Tan Hoang (Deputy Head of Accounting Department of Yen Khanh Company).

Mr. Dinh La Thang and Dinh Ngoc He at the first instance trial

The trial is scheduled to take place from March 22-25, chaired by Judge Tran Thi Thu Thuy and two judges Hoang Thanh Dung and Pham Cong Muoi. The representative of the People's Procuracy is Mr. Tran Anh Dung.

Previously, at the first instance trial, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court sentenced Mr. Dinh La Thang to 10 years in prison. Combined with the previous verdict, Mr. Dinh La Thang must serve a sentence of 30 years in prison; Mr. Nguyen Hong Truong 4 years and 6 months in prison.

Defendant Dinh Ngoc He was sentenced to life in prison for "fraudulent appropriation of property" and 13 years in prison for "abuse of powerand power over others for personal gain". The common penalty for both crimes is life imprisonment. Combined with the previous 30-year sentence, the defendant is forced to serve a life sentence.

Defendants at the first instance trial

According to the first instance verdict, the Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong expressway project was invested by the Ministry of Transport, with more than VND9,800 billion from the state budget for implementation.

As the Minister who is the head assigned to manage assets including the right to collect tolls on the Ho Chi Minh City - Trung Luong Expressway at the Ministry of Transport, Mr. Dinh La Thang signed a document requesting to continue looking for partners to sell toll collection rights.

Although clearly understanding the provisions of the law on State asset management and transfer of toll collection rights and clearly understanding that this is a special asset with particularly great value.

Dinh Ngoc He at the first instance trial

However, after receiving a written approval from the Prime Minister to sell the toll collection rights, Mr. Thang called Duong Tuan Minh (General Director of Cuu Long Corporation) to introduce Dinh Ngoc He's company (aka Ut "bald") as a loss-making company with no financial capacity to buy the toll collection rights.

During the auction, Mr. Thang signed the decision to establish the Auction Council for the right to collect fees and the standing committee to assist the council, assigning Mr. Nguyen Hong Truong as Chairman.
Mr. Thang's violations resulted in losses of more than 725 billion VND.

After winning the auction for the right to collect fees, Dinh Ngoc He committed many acts of cutting and concealing revenue to appropriate and cause a loss of more than 725 billion VND of the State.