Vietnam Education Publishing House expert arrested in Viet A case
Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy, an expert at the Vietnam Education Publishing House, was arrested on charges of intervening and helping Viet A Company profit from the business of Covid-19 test kits.
On January 4, Ms. Thuy, 56 years old, and Nguyen Bach Thuy Linh, 45 years old, Director of SNB Holdings One Member Co., Ltd., were prosecuted and detained to investigate the crime.Taking advantage of influence over people in positions of power and authority for personal gain,according to Clause 3, Article 366 of the Penal Code.
Initial investigation results determined that the two suspects took advantage of their influence, intervened, and influenced leaders of a number of ministries and branches to create favorable conditions to help Viet A Company in the process of producing and trading Covid-19 test kits.profiteering.
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| Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy (left) and Thuy Linh at the time of their arrest. Photo:Ministry of Public Security |
This is a new development when the Ministry of Public Security's Investigation Police Agency (C03) expanded the investigation into the case that occurred at Viet A Company and related ministries and branches.
Over the past year, since the violations at Viet A Company were exposed, C03 and local police have prosecuted 29 cases and more than 100 people involved. Among them are 3 former Central Committee members: former Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long, former Hanoi Chairman Chu Ngoc Anh, and former Hai Duong Provincial Party Secretary Pham Xuan Thang.
Most recently, at the Government Office, C03 arrested Mr. Nguyen Van Trinh, assistant to the Deputy Prime Minister, on charges of taking advantage of his position to "interfere with responsible units at the Ministry of Health so that Viet A Company could be granted a registration number to illegally circulate Covid-19 test kits."
A series of department-level leaders and medical staff from 24 provinces and cities were also prosecuted and detained. The Ministry of National Defense's investigation agency prosecuted and arrested two officers.
The Viet A case is under the monitoring and direction of the Central Steering Committee on preventing and combating corruption and negativity. The violations are considered typical of "systemic corruption" due to their scale, occurring from central agencies and ministries to localities.
Initial investigation results determined that, in order to make illegal profits and pay money outside the contract, Viet A inflated the prices of equipment and input materials. Of the revenue of about 4,000 billion VND, Viet A paid "commissions" to units and individuals of nearly 800 billion VND.
