Prosecution of former Head of Quynh Luu Forest Protection Management Board and 3 subordinates

The Investigation Police Agency of Quynh Luu District Police said that the unit has decided to prosecute all 4 defendants including: Vo Van Vinh (born in 1968) - former Head of Quynh Luu Protective Forest Management Board; Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy (born in 1982) - former accountant of Quynh Luu Protective Forest Management Board; Ngu Thi Mai and Cao Thi Van, former treasurers of Quynh Luu Protective Forest Management Board to investigate the crime of "Violating regulations on management and use of State assets causing loss and waste".

Former Head of Quynh Luu Protective Forest Management Board and 3 subordinates. Photo: Quynh Trang.

According to initial investigation, in 2008, implementing the Government's Project of planting 5 million hectares of protective forests (called Project 661), the Quynh Luu Protective Forest Management Board was approved by the Provincial People's Committee as the investor of Project 661 on planting protective forests in the area.

During the implementation of Project 661, Vo Van Vinh - as Head of the Management Board and Project Director, loosened management, violated State regulations on investment capital management and payment and settlement of allocated State budget sources.

Area of ​​illegally exploited protective forest in Tan Thang commune, Quynh Luu district. Photo: Thanh Duy.

Specifically, Mr. Vinh directed his subordinates to create fake records of payment and settlement of state budget funds, not organizing payments to households according to regulations but only paying a portion of the allocated budget.

Implementing this project, many households participating in basic forest planting were provided with seedlings and fertilizers for planting forests on the contracted area, while some households were not provided with funds according to regulations. During the period from 2009 to 2012, the total amount of budget allocated for the project that has not been paid to households is 752,989,000 VND.

Illegal exploitation of protective forests in Tan Thang commune, Quynh Luu district. Photo: Thanh Duy

Based on documents and investigation results, the police concluded that the Quynh Luu Protective Forest Management Board violated the management and use of state assets, causing budget losses totaling over 750 million VND.

Previously, the Inspection Committee of Quynh Luu District Party Committee also inspected signs of violations in the situation of many households cutting down protective forests in Tan Thang commune.

The Inspection Committee of Quynh Luu District Party Committee concluded that 4 individuals (including 3 party members and 2 commune officials) arbitrarily organized the exploitation of 10.3 hectares of forest in the protected forest area without permission from competent authorities. The Standing Committee of Tan Thang Commune Party Committee still committed many violations in state management, allowing party members, cadres and civil servants of the Commune People's Committee to be punished.

The protected forest area in Tan Thang commune, Quynh Luu district, after being illegally exploited, was used to grow pineapples, which is the wrong land use purpose. Photo: Thanh Duy

The Inspection Committee of Quynh Luu District Party Committee also discovered the situation of forged documents at the Quynh Luu Protective Forest Management Board including: Minutes of acceptance of forest planting and care; Payment request of the recipient: 74 payment vouchers for forest planting and care; Forged signatures of 50 payers and recipients to withdraw the State budget, showing signs of embezzlement of VND 1,303,696,232.

Mr. Vo Van Vinh, when he was the Head of the Quynh Luu Protective Forest Management Board, was lax in managing investment capital for planting, caring for and protecting protective forests according to Decision No. 611 of the Prime Minister; did not fully pay the State-granted regime to households for planting, caring for and protecting protective forests. The situation of misuse, illegal exploitation; illegal buying, selling and transferring occurred frequently, but was not prevented.

From August 2018, Quynh Luu Protective Forest Management Board merged with Quynh Luu Forestry One Member Co., Ltd. (after being converted into Protective Forest Management Board) to become Bac Nghe An Protective Forest Management Board according to the Decision of the Provincial People's Committee dated January 5, 2018.