Mr. Nguyen Duc Chung hopes to have the opportunity to return to take care of his elderly mother.

On the afternoon of August 26, at the trial of the case of inflating the price of green trees, the panel of judges gave the defendants the right to have the last word.

In his final statement, defendant Vu Kien Trung (former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Hanoi Green Parks Company) stated that he was aware of his criminal behavior and respectfully asked the jury to be lenient and consider reducing his sentence. The defendant hoped to have the opportunity to soon return to his sick mother, wife and children, and to soon have the opportunity to become a useful person.

Defendant Kien Trung said that, due to his special job, he was almost separated from his wife. The defendants in the case who worked at the Green Park Company were also in a similar situation, because planting trees took up all of their time, so they were often away from home.

In his final statement, former Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee Nguyen Duc Chung thanked the representative of the People's Procuracy for reducing some of the content in the indictment and investigation conclusion during the impeachment process, and acknowledging mitigating circumstances for the defendant.

“The defendant wishes and earnestly requests that the panel of judges take note of the contents stated by the staff of the Green Park Company. They have continuously had to plant trees at night, as required by the city and the Government.

This is to avoid affecting traffic and dust for the people. It is a great effort of the staff of the Green Park Company, so every Tet I send a bottle of champagne to the company staff on New Year's Eve. The green and clean city like today is a great contribution of them", said defendant Nguyen Duc Chung.

Mr. Nguyen Duc Chung hopes that the People's Court will consider the request for a reduced sentence for the defendants, who are officers of the Green Park Company, and consider allowing these defendants to apply mitigating circumstances such as having remedied the consequences.

For his part, the former Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee hopes that the panel of judges will acknowledge his work process.

“The defendant was very worried and thought a lot, when such a good program ended up in this trial. This is something I did not want and it is beyond my control. I affirm once again that I always accept my responsibility,” said Mr. Nguyen Duc Chung in his final words.

The former Chairman of the Hanoi People's Committee hopes the panel of judges will consider the defendant's health factors.

According to Mr. Chung, during his detention, his father-in-law passed away, and now his biological father is in critical condition, so he has no hope of fulfilling his filial duties. He hopes the jury will give him the lightest sentence possible, be on equal terms with other citizens, and have the opportunity to return home to take care of his elderly mother.

Defendant Bui Van Man (former Director of Green Eco Development Company Limited) gave his final statement: "I have low education and lack of understanding, which is why this happened. If I knew it was wrong, I would not have done it."

According to Mr. Man, the defendant's father at home is about to die, and his days to live are counted, so he hopes the panel of judges will grant him bail for a few months so he can see his father one last time, have the opportunity to take care of his father and find money to remedy the consequences of the case.

Ms. Hoang Thi Kim Loan (former Deputy Director of Green Eco Development Company Limited) in her final statement said that she did business to make a profit, but she was imprisoned before she saw any profit. The defendant hoped to be sentenced to the same time in detention.

In their final words, many defendants could not hold back their tears, spoke bitterly, repented, and asked for leniency.

The panel of judges deliberated for a long time and will announce the verdict at 3:00 p.m. on August 28.