The defendant in the Dong Tam case wants to make a clear statement "to have a clear conscience"

During the trial on September 8, although not called to the witness stand, defendant Bui Viet Hieu (77 years old, one of the three leaders of the "Consensus Group") still apologized to the presiding judge for his statement on September 7.

Defendant Hieu said that his opinions about the Dong Senh land area declared on September 7 were wrong, because he had not updated the information. “From 1990 until now, land policy has changed a lot but he did not know. He apologized to the presiding judge and asked for his forgiveness.lenientof the law. I hope the judge will hit the one who runs away, not the one who runs back" - defendant Hieu said.

Defendant Bui Viet Hieu. Photo: Hung Anh

Previously, at the trial on September 7, defendant Hieu testified that he had been the head of Dong Tam Cooperative from 1981 to 1982, and found the indictment incorrect regarding Dong Senh land. Defendant Hieu said that only 47.36 hectares of Dong Senh land were recovered to build Mieu Mon airport, the remaining land was agricultural land belonging to Dong Tam commune.

Answering the lawyer's question, defendant Hieu stated that on the evening of the incident, there was information that the police would arrive, so the defendant went to Mr.Le Dinh KinhThe defendant stated that he was sitting in Mr. Kinh's bedroom, at that time Mr. Kinh said, "You and I just sit here, they won't dare come in."

During the interrogation of Le Dinh Chuc, the defendant answered clearly and admitted to his crimes. This included pouring gasoline into the pit and killing three soldiers. Defendant Chuc stated: “Before the souls of the police officers who sacrificed their lives, I want to make a clear statement so that my conscience can be at peace.” Defendant Chuc also expressed remorse when he returned to apologize to the relatives of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives.

The jury at the first instance trial.

As for the victim’s representative, Captain Pham Cong Huy’s father, Mr. Pham Cong Lam, cried in court and said: “I used to be a law enforcement officer, my son was also a law enforcement officer. Now that something has happened and he has died, I only hope that the court will resolve the matter according to the law.”

Sharing the same opinion as Mr. Lam, Ms. Pham Thi Loc (wife of Colonel Nguyen Huy Thinh) and Ms. Bich (mother of Senior Lieutenant Duong Duc Hoang Quan) both expressed their hope that the panel of judges would follow the law, the right person, the right crime, and did not request any specific civil compensation./.

Vo Nam