Proposal to prosecute 254 defendants in the 'vehicle inspection scandal'

254 defendants in the case were proposed to be prosecuted on 11 charges.

In the case, defendant Tran Ky Hinh (former Director of the Vietnam Register from January 2014 to July 2021) was proposed to be prosecuted for the crime ofAccept bribesand Abusing position and power while performing official duties; Dang Viet Ha (former Director of the Vietnam Register) was proposed to be prosecuted for the crime of Receiving bribes.

253 other defendants were proposed to be prosecuted in a group of 11 crimes including: Giving bribes, Receiving bribes, Bribery brokerage, Forgery in work; Producing, buying, selling, exchanging or giving away software for illegal purposes; Illegally invading computer networks, telecommunications networks, or electronic devices of others; Forging documents of agencies and organizations; Using fake documents of agencies and organizations; Fraudulent appropriation of property; Abusing positions and powers while performing official duties; Embezzlement of property.

According to the investigation conclusion, the Motor Vehicle Inspection Department (VAR) is an organization under the Vietnam Register, performing the function of advising the Director in managing the technical safety and environmental protection inspection of motor vehicles, and inspecting specialized motorbikes in circulation nationwide. In the assigned tasks and powers, the Motor Vehicle Inspection Department has the tasks and powers in carrying out design appraisals and acceptance of modifications of motor vehicles and specialized motorbikes in circulation.

VAR inspectors took advantage of their positions to not properly follow the appraisal and inspection procedures according to Circular 85/2014/TT-BGTVT dated December 31, 2014 of the Ministry of Transport, ignored errors in design documents, issued Design Appraisal Certificates against regulations to receive bribes from companies ranging from 1.5 to 3 million VND/document.

In March 2019, Tran Anh Quan was appointed Acting Head of the Motor Vehicle Inspection Department. At this time, the inspectors assigned to review design documents reported to Quan about receiving bribes from design companies during the document review process.

After that, Quan and the inspectors agreed to divide the money monthly according to the ratio of 700,000 VND/file for Quan, including the part that Quan would receive, the part that Quan would receive for diplomatic reception, and the part that Quan would divide for the leaders of the Department, Tran Ky Hinh and Dang Viet Ha. In addition, the Deputy Heads of VAR Department would each receive 100,000 VND/file; and the office staff would each receive 50,000 VND/file.

Every month after receiving bribes from design companies, the inspectors will calculate and count the number of files assigned for appraisal, multiply it by the agreed amount per file, and then divide the money among Quan, 3 Deputy Heads of Department, and 4 office staff. When receiving money from the inspectors, Quan continues to divide the amount of 60 million VND/month to Tran Ky Hinh and 20 million VND/month to Dang Viet Ha, Quan uses a part for diplomacy and entertaining guests; Quan benefits from the rest.

By August 2021, Tran Ky Hinh retired and Dang Viet Ha was appointed to the position of Director. In a meeting with the leaders of the VAR Department, Dang Viet Ha requested that the VAR Department must report accurately the data of the design appraisal files every month, ensuring that Ha's interests were the highest. Quan and the participants in the meeting all understood that when receiving money during the design appraisal process, the highest percentage must be given to Ha.

The defendants at the Vietnam Register received bribes for each vehicle registration file and divided the money according to their rank and position. Photo: CA

After that, Quan and the inspectors met and agreed on how to divide the money, specifically Dang Viet Ha got 400,000 VND/file, Quan got 300,000 VND/file, the Deputy Heads of VAR each got 100,000 VND/file, put 140,000 VND/file into the diplomatic fund, gave 40,000 VND/file to the office staff each, the remaining amount went to the inspectors.

Accordingly, from the 1st to the 10th of each month, the inspectors counted the number of files, multiplied it by the agreed sharing amount and then divided it among themselves. In particular, for Dang Viet Ha's part, Quan put the money in an envelope, with the number of files for appraisal and the total amount written on it, and gave it directly to Ha at the office.

By October 2022, when the Police discovered and handled violations by the inspection units, the above subjects no longer received bribes in the design document appraisal activities.

About 2 months later, fearing that his actions would be discovered, Dang Viet Ha returned 5 billion VND (the money that the inspectors who received bribes from design companies gave to Ha) to Tran Anh Quan.

In addition, fearing being punished, Dang Viet Ha contacted Lai Thai Phong (38 years old, living in Hanoi - Deputy Chief of Office of the Vietnam Registry) to say that the police agency handled many violations related to the Registry Center but currently did not have information about what violations were handled. At this time, Phong told Ha that Phong knew Nguyen Van Chung and had many relationships with the police agency.

Hearing that, Ha told Phong to ask Chung to find out information about how the police would handle it, and Phong agreed. Then Ha told Tran Anh Quan to use the 5 billion VND that had been returned earlier to exchange for 100 thousand USD.

Quan gave 100 thousand USD to Ha at the office, for Ha to give to Lai Thai Phong. Phong continued to meet and give money to Nguyen Van Chung to ask Chung to find someone to collect information on the vehicle inspection case for Dang Viet Ha, however Chung was not able to do so and took the money.

When he was detained, in August 2023, Dang Viet Ha filed a complaint. The Ho Chi Minh City Police Department investigated and clarified Nguyen Van Chung's fraudulent appropriation of property and Lai Thai Phong's bribery brokerage.

Up to now, the defendants in the case, especially the former Director of the Vietnam Registry Department Tran Ky Hinh and Dang Viet Ha, have honestly confessed their crimes and given detailed statements.

The police agency determined that the defendants in the case took advantage of their assigned functions, duties, and powers in the State management of vehicle registration to violate the provisions of the law, loosen management, lack inspection and supervision, collude with businesses, vehicle owners, and individuals to commit many organized, continuous, and criminal violations over a long period of time, infringing on the proper operation of State agencies, causing damage to the property and interests of many individuals and organizations involved, and infringing on social order and safety.