Former Da Nang chairman helps Vu 'Nhom' take over public land
Mr. Tran Van Minh masterminded and directed his subordinates to help Vu "Nhom" transfer public land at a price lower than the regulation, without auction, causing a loss of 20,000 billion VND.
In the investigation conclusion completed on August 31, the Investigation Police Agency (Ministry of Public Security) determined that defendant Tran Van Minh - former Chairman of the People's Committee of Da Nang City (2006-2011) caused losses to the state budget in 18 public houses and lands and 7 real estate projects.
The Investigation Police Agency requested the Supreme People's Procuracy to prosecute defendant Tran Van Minh on charges of "Violating the management and use of state assets causing waste and loss" and "Violations of land management regulations".
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Defendants Tran Van Minh and Van Huu Chien from left to right. Photo:Van Dong. |
As his successor, defendant Van Huu Chien - former Chairman of the People's Committee of Da Nang City (2011 - 2014), was also proposed by the investigation agency to be prosecuted for two crimes along with Mr. Minh and accused of being an accomplice, helping Mr. Minh commit crimes.
The investigation agency accused the actions of defendants Minh, Chien, Vu "Nhom" and 19 other defendants of causing a loss of nearly 20,000 billion VND to the state.
In their positions as Chairman of the City People's Committee, assigned to manage and use state assets and land in the area, defendants Minh and Chien issued many documents and directed subordinates to carry out land allocation, recovery, lease, permit transfer of land use rights, permit change of land use purpose and transfer of public houses and land in Da Nang City to defendant Phan Van Anh Vu, in violation of the law.
In addition, at some real estate projects, before transferring to Vu 'Nhom', Mr. Tran Van Minh directed his subordinates to draft legal documents, quickly complete the records and procedures to help Vu receive the transfer of these projects at a lower price than the price set by the People's Committee of Da Nang City, without auction.
Even at some public houses and lands, before granting land use right certificates, Vu "Nhom"'s affiliated companies sent documents requesting to change the name on the land use right certificates to Vu "Nhom" or Vu's company or relatives with the reason that these units and individuals were the ones who paid for the house purchase and shared the benefits with each other.
The investigation agency determined that, in this way, from 2002 to 2017, Phan Van Anh Vu used his name and had relatives use their names to establish, contributed capital and directly managed the operations of 5 real estate businesses in Da Nang City, earning personal profits of an exceptionally large amount of money.
The investigation conclusion also stated that, despite knowing this, defendant Tran Van Minh still agreed to allow the transfer of public houses and land to Phan Van Anh Vu.
"This criminal act of the defendants Tran Van Minh, Van Huu Chien and their accomplices created conditions for the defendant Phan Van Anh Vu to monopolize many real estate projects and public houses and lands in Da Nang City without auctioning land use rights, causing especially large losses to the state budget, losing the people's trust and causing great indignation in society," the investigation conclusion stated.
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Vu 'Nhom' at the trial for violations related to the embezzlement of money from Dong A Bank in May in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo:Nhu Quynh. |
Phan Van Anh Vu (Vu "Nhom") is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bac Nam 79 Construction Joint Stock Company; former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Nova Bac Nam 79 Joint Stock Company (now Chan Phong Investment and Development Joint Stock Company). At the end of 2017, Phan Van Anh Vu was wanted and arrested after nearly 20 days on the run.
Inspecting projects in Da Nang during the time when Mr. Minh and Mr. Chien were Chairmen of the City People's Committee, the Government Inspectorate determined that Da Nang caused a loss of 3,400 billion VND.
In addition to the major land management violation case in Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City that has not yet been brought to trial, on November 1, 2018, Vu "Nhom" was sentenced to 8 years in prison by the High People's Court in Hanoi for intentionally revealing state secrets.
On June 7, Vu "Nhom" was sentenced to 17 years in prison by the High People's Court in Ho Chi Minh City for the crime of Abusing position and power to appropriate property.
On June 13, Vu "Nhom" was sentenced to 15 years in prison by the High People's Court in Hanoi for the crime of "Abusing position and power while performing official duties."
