Reporter offered 700 million VND to "remove article" gets 4 years in prison

After two postponements, on January 11, the People's Court of Ninh Kieu District (Can Tho City) tried Pham Le Hoang Uyen (42 years old, reporter for Career Guidance and Integration magazine) and Vo Hoang Ha (40 years old, former Chairman of the Board of Directors of Asia Disinfectant Chemical Joint Stock Company, Ho Chi Minh City) for the crime ofFraudulent appropriation of property.

According to the indictment, from July 31 to August 4, 2017, Ho Chi Minh City Women's Newspaper published 3 articles reflecting Cao Thang Real Estate Joint Stock Company and Viet Dream International Joint Stock Company's non-transparent capital mobilization, with signs of fraud in the project in Hau Giang. Mr. Vo Thanh Long - General Director of the two companies, called Uyen to ask her to "take care" of removing these articles.

Uyen asked a close female colleague who worked at the southern representative office of another newspaper. She offered 600 million VND. Uyen raised the price to 700 million VND and 30 million VND for travel expenses, asking Mr. Long to pay 50% in advance. If he did not agree, the newspaper would continue to publish the article and "even billions of VND would not be enough to remove it". Fearful, Mr. Long agreed.

Vo Hoang Ha helped Uyen make a contract to buy and sell ornamental plants to legalize the receipt of money from Mr. Long. However, seeing signs of suspicion in Uyen, Mr. Long reported to Can Tho City Police. On August 6, 2017, Uyen and Ha went to a coffee shop to meet Long to receive 280 million VND in advance and were arrested by the police.

The police summoned Uyen several times, but her friend left for the US two days after the case was discovered. The investigation agency continues to verify and handle the case.

In court today, Uyen testified that at first she did not accept, but because Mr. Long asked her many times, she contacted her college friend to help. "She said the price was 600 million VND, if she wanted a commission, she should tell Mr. Long 700 million VND. This is my biggest mistake," the defendant said.

The panel of judges determined that Uyen had exchanged messages with a female colleague asking her to remove the post. The other woman agreed and offered a price. Thus, the defendant did not provide false information to appropriate property, and the prosecutor prosecuted the crime.Fraudulent appropriation of propertyis not enough basis.

Documentary evidence shows that Uyen used money to give to her colleague to help Mr. Long remove the article. This action of the defendant is sufficient to constitute a crime.Broker bribery.Defendant Ha must be held responsible for his role as an accomplice.

From there, the People's Court sentenced Pham Le Hoang Uyen to 4 years in prison and Vo Hoang Ha to 2 years in prison..