Dong Nai police admit mistake in arresting sand bandit whistleblower

Calling to report that there was an illegal sand dredging ship but the police did not make a report when they came to check, Ms. Ngoc cursed the authorities and 6 months later was arrested for the crime of Resisting a Person on Official Duty.

On April 24, the People's Procuracy and the Nhon Trach District Police (Dong Nai) worked with Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Ngoc to clarify a number of issues related to her arrest for the crime of Resisting a Person on Official Duty on April 19. At the meeting, representatives of the two agencies admitted their mistakes in prosecuting and detaining Ms. Ngoc.

Ms. Ngoc worked with agencies of Nhon Trach district on the morning of April 24. Photo: Thai Ha

According to the records, Ms. Ngoc lives in Ho Chi Minh City and rented land in Phuoc An Commune, Nhon Trach District to raise shrimp. On September 5, 2015, she called the police to report the discovery of a ship illegally dredging sand on the Dong Nai River. Nhon Trach District police came to bring the ship ashore to make a record because the ship was leaking water.

However, Ms. Ngoc stopped them and asked the police to make a report on the spot because she was afraid that if the ship was taken away, the incident would be "sunk". The woman screamed and cursed at the authorities, hugged the sand suction hose on the ship and threatened to commit suicide.

On April 14 (more than 6 months later), Nhon Trach District Police prosecuted Ms. Ngoc for Resisting a Person on Official Duty. On April 19, when the police invited her to work on a complaint about being beaten and having her property destroyed by Long Thanh Forest Protection Force at a shrimp pond in February, Ms. Ngoc was arrested for Resisting a Person on Official Duty.

After Ms. Ngoc was arrested, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc directed the People's Committee of Dong Nai province to review the records and consider the case.

"Initial records show that Ms. Ngoc showed signs of resisting law enforcement officers, so she was detained. However, after re-examining the evidence, the prosecution agencies found it wrong and canceled the temporary detention of Ms. Ngoc on April 23. Next week, we will have a meeting to consider suspending the case and the defendant against Ms. Ngoc," said the leader of the People's Procuracy of Nhon Trach district.

Colonel Le Van Hung - representative of the Investigation Police Agency of Dong Nai Province Police affirmed that Ms. Ngoc's act of obstructing the police was a violation of the law, but being prosecuted for Resisting a Person on Official Duty was not in accordance with the nature of the case.

"The legal awareness of the investigation agency and the district People's Procuracy is not accurate. According to the provincial investigation agency's point of view, Ms. Ngoc's behavior is not at the level of requiring criminal prosecution but should only be administratively handled," said Colonel Hung.

According to VNE