Nghe An: Prison sentence reduced for district officials gambling

Because the defendant committed the crime for the first time, confessed honestly, repented, and had many achievements in his work, the panel of judges decided to reduce the sentence from 9 months in prison to 9 months suspended sentence.

On the morning of March 7, the People's Court of Nghe An province opened an appeal trial of a gambling case that occurred in Tuong Duong district in December 2011. Involved in this case are Vi Thi Huong - an official of the Office of the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district, Dang Thanh Nham - an official of the Department of Education and Training of Tuong Duong district, Nguyen Canh Ha - a teacher at Xa Luong High School and Vo Van Soan - a security guard of a local project.

In the first instance trial on December 29, 2011, the People's Court of Tuong Duong district sentenced Vi Thi Huong to 9 months in prison, Vo Van Soan to 8 months in suspended prison, Nguyen Canh Ha and Dang Thanh Nham each to 6 months in suspended prison for gambling. Defendant Nguyen Thi Hien (Ha Dong block, Hoa Binh town, Tuong Duong) was sentenced to 7 months in suspended prison for harboring gambling.

After the first instance trial, Vi Thi Huong filed an appeal to the People's Court of Nghe An province, requesting a reduction in her prison sentence. In the appeal hearing on March 7, the panel of judges stated that the defendant Huong committed a crime for the first time in a less serious case, confessed honestly, repented, and had many achievements in her work for more than 20 years, her family were all civil servants, and she herself was ill. Therefore, the People's Court of Nghe An province accepted the appeal, reduced Vi Thi Huong's sentence from 9 months in prison to 9 months in prison, suspended, and placed on probation for 17 months and 16 days, and assigned the People's Committee of Tuong Duong district to supervise and educate her during the probation period.

According to: Dan Tri