Deputy District Judge Receives Bribe Sentenced to 12 Months in Prison

As soon as the verdict was announced for defendant Truong Thi Hoa, Mr. Nong Van Thut - the person who was asked by the deputy chief judge to pay 80 million VND - filed an appeal because he thought the verdict was too lenient.

Defendant Hoa in court - Photo: TRUNG TAN

After a lengthy deliberation, this morning, October 16, the Dak Lak Provincial People's Court sentenced defendant Truong Thi Hoa - former deputy chief judge of the Ea Kar District People's Court - to 12 months in prison for accepting bribes.

The jury also ordered Ms. Hoa to return the 80 million VND she received from Mr. Nong Van Thut (48 years old, residing in village 12, Cu Yang commune, Ea Kar district).

As soon as the sentence was announced, Mr. Nong Van Thut signed an appeal petition right in court. In the petition, Mr. Thut said that the sentence the jury handed down to the defendant was too light, not commensurate with Ms. Hoa's acts of demanding bribes and harassing him.

"The first-instance prosecution agency also overlooked people and crimes. The investigation, prosecution, and trial of the case were not comprehensive enough," the petition stated.

Previously, at the 5th first instance trial, the former deputy chief judge of the People's Court of Ea Kar district, Dak Lak, affirmed that the indictment against him was "correct in terms of the person and the crime", but the defendant's act of accepting a bribe of 80 million VND was because he "loved and trusted people too much".

At the fourth first-instance trial on the morning of October 12, the panel of judges had to adjourn the court to summon eight people with related rights and obligations, including Mr. Tran Van Ly, the chief judge, and Mr. Hoang Tri Ly (the indictment read in court was adjusted as such, the old name is Hoang Ly Tri) - secretary of the Ea Kar District People's Court to the trial.

However, at this 5th first instance trial, these people submitted a request to be tried in absentia.

The lawyers requested that these people be brought to court because of "contradictory statements" but the jury did not consider it.

The lawyers requested to prosecute the chief judge and the secretary of the Ea Kar District People's Court right in court for two crimes of concealing a crime and failing to report a crime, but this request was not considered by the trial panel.

As reported, Mr. Nong Van Thut caused a fatal accident and was brought to trial at the People's Court of Ea Kar district. Here, Ms. Hoa suggested that if Mr. Thut gave her money, she would be given a light sentence and a suspended sentence. Mr. Thut gave Ms. Hoa 80 million VND.

After "accepting" Mr. Thut, Ms. Hoa directed Mr. Hoang Tri Ly - the court secretary to draft two verdicts, stating: "Sentencing defendant Nong Van Thut to...month in prison" and "Sentencing defendant Nong Van Thut to 1 (one) year in prison but with a suspended sentence..."

The indictment also shows that Mr. Hoang Tri Ly and Mr. Tran Van Ly - Chief Justice of Ea Kar District People's Court - knew that Ms. Hoa received money from Mr. Thut, but neither of them participated, agreed, or benefited from Ms. Hoa's work.

Mr. Ly also asked Ms. Hoa to report to the chief judge and Mr. Ly directed that the money be returned to Mr. Thut. The chief judge of the Ea Kar District People's Court also stated that Mr. Thut should not be given a suspended sentence, "therefore there is no basis for criminal proceedings against these two people (Mr. Ly and Mr. Ly)".

According to Tuoi Tre