Court date for man with 2 arrest warrants, on the run for 20 years

(Baonghean.vn) - After all that has happened, Tran Dinh Chung calmly faced all developments in court. He answered concisely each question from the panel of judges, the representative of the Procuracy and the defense attorney. But in those answers, there were many contradictions.

The trial of defendant Tran Dinh Chung (born in 1965, residing in Hung Dung ward, Vinh city) took place on the morning of December 7. Having been on the other side of life, having been wanted for two years, living in seclusion and insecurity for 20 years, now it seems that there is nothing to worry about, he stands before the bar, calm.

Trial opens 20 years after the incident

The trial was very special, because the defendant was brought to trial 20 years after the incident. That long period of time has changed many things, from a healthy young busboy, Tran Dinh Chung now has two types of hair. But the truth and the crime cannot be hidden, even though he has escaped many times, changed his name and fate.

The representative of the Procuracy read the indictment, describing in detail every action of Chung from the beginning of the crime until his arrest. Chung bowed his head, closed his eyes, and listened to every word. That was all that he had experienced in the past 20 years, but all those actions, no matter how carefully they were covered up, could not escape the "net of heaven".

Defendant Tran Dinh Chung after 20 years on the run. Photo: Phuong Thao

The incident occurred in 1997, when Chung was only 32 years old, working as a busboy for a bus company running the Vinh - Que Phong route. When a subject suggested that he transport drugs from this border district to Vinh City for a large sum of money, Chung quickly agreed. Later, the investigation agency determined that the amount of drugs weighed nearly 20kg, mixed with the goods on the bus to go downstream.

Upon arriving at Nghia Dan district, Nghe An provincial authorities inspected the vehicle and discovered a large quantity of drugs. In the chaos, Tran Dinh Chung quickly escaped into the nearby forest and disappeared. Nghe An provincial police investigation agency issued a nationwide arrest warrant for Tran Dinh Chung and organized a search force but to no avail.

After disappearing from Nghe An, Chung drifted to Ha Tinh, continuing to work as a busboy and drug transporter. In 1998, Chung’s cover was exposed by Ha Tinh Provincial Police, but once again, he was quicker and disappeared without a trace. In 1998, Ha Tinh Provincial Police issued a wanted notice for Tran Dinh Chung for “Illegal transportation of narcotics”.

With two arrest warrants, Chung fled to Phu Quoc, then he went back to Can Tho. Here, he changed his name to Tran Van Dung and applied to work as a construction worker. Thinking that he had completely hidden his identity, Chung took his wife and children to live with him. For decades, neighbors still saw a hard-working, gentle man from the Central region who loved his wife and children. Few people thought he was a wanted man. Then what had to happen happened, he could not escape the net of heaven, he was discovered by the reconnaissance force and the police of Nghe An province.

On December 23, 2016, while he was repainting his house to prepare for Tet, the police raided and arrested him. At first, Chung remained calm, claiming that the police had mistaken him and asserted that he was Tran Van Dung, not Tran Dinh Chung. But his voice began to tremble and he finally had to bow his head and admit his guilt when the authorities presented irrefutable evidence.

Don't remember the act or deny the crime?

At the trial, Tran Dinh Chung said that the indictment contained many untrue details. But when the panel of judges asked for evidence to prove it, Chung beat around the bush.

"What did the defendant go to Phu Quoc and Can Tho for?" - The court asked.

"The defendant went there to do business..."

"Why do you have to change your name and fate to do business?"

Tran Dinh Chung was silent and did not answer. He answered the following questions very calmly but with contradictions. He said that the incident happened so long ago that he did not remember.

When the court asked about his family situation, Chung mentioned his late father with a troubled voice. On the day his father passed away, Chung could not go home to say goodbye, nor could he light a stick of incense for his father. He said his father had participated in the resistance war, but he did not know what kind of regime his father had, so he asked the court to consider it.

Based on the defendant's testimony in court, as well as the questioning and debate process, the representative of the Procuracy proposed a 20-year prison sentence for Tran Dinh Chung for the crime of "illegally transporting drugs".

However, considering that there are still many details in the case that need to be clarified and although there is no proof, the defendant's family affirmed that Tran Dinh Chung's father had contributed to the revolution, the panel of judges decided to postpone the trial and continue the trial at a later date.

After the trial ended, Chung’s relatives quickly left, not a single one of them looking back at their nephew being escorted by the police. And neither did Chung. It seemed that 20 years of being away from home, cutting off contact with his family to escape punishment had made him lose even his family ties.

Phuong Thao