Appeal trial of the case that occurred at the Continuing Education Center of Hung Nguyen District: Defendant Le Thi Dung was sentenced to 15 months in prison.

After the morning trial (June 13), in which most of the timeBoard of Judgesfor the lawyers defending the defendant Le Thi Dung. Moving to the afternoon trial, the court continued with the questioning of the Trial Council for the defendants and other participants in the proceedings, including former officials and teachers of the Hung Nguyen District Education Center and representatives from the State Treasury of Hung Nguyen District; Department of Finance - Planning, Hung Nguyen District People's Committee; representatives of the Nghe An Department of Education and Training; investigators; prosecutors; and appraisers participating in the trial.

Other participants in the proceedings were allowed by the Trial Panel to give their opinions at the court session on the afternoon of June 13. Photo: PV

At the trial, when asked whether to add a protest or not, the representative of the People's Procuracy of Nghe An province maintained the viewpoint of the Appeal Protest No. 940/QD-VKS-P7 dated May 23, 2023 of the Chief Prosecutor of the People's Procuracy of Nghe An province. Accordingly, it is requested that the People's Court of Nghe An province try the case according to the appellate procedure, in the direction of annulling the first instance judgment for re-investigation and re-trial.

After the questioning, the Trial Panel also allowed the defendants, other participants in the proceedings and the lawyers to respond to the opinions of the parties and to the protest of the People's Procuracy of Nghe An province.

On the lawyers' side, there were responses to the Prosecutor of the People's Procuracy of Hung Nguyen district, to the representative of the Department of Education and Training of Nghe An, and to the defendant Nguyen Thi Huong.

On the contrary, the Prosecutor of the People's Procuracy of Hung Nguyen district and the defendant Nguyen Thi Huong also had opinions in response to the opinions that the lawyers gave to them.

At exactly 3:40 p.m., after the debate ended, the Trial Panel allowed the defendants to have their final say before entering the Deliberation Room. Defendant Nguyen Thi Huong requested a reduced sentence. Defendant Le Thi Dung requested the Trial Panel to grant her bail and clear her name.

Defendant Le Thi Dung was allowed to have the last word before the Trial Council entered the deliberation period. Photo: PV

After more than 2 hours of deliberation, at 6:00 p.m., the Appellate Court issued a verdict against the defendants Le Thi Dung (52 years old, former Director of the Hung Nguyen District Continuing Education Center), Nguyen Thi Huong (58 years old, former accountant of the Center) in the case of Abusing position and power while performing official duties that occurred at this center. The Trial Court found that the amount of violation was not large, the person had a good background, there were many mitigating circumstances applied according to the provisions of the law, the crime that the court of first instance sentenced the defendant Le Thi Dung was too harsh.

All those present in the courtroom stood up to hear the verdict. Photo: PV

Regarding defendant Nguyen Thi Huong, during the investigation process, she actively cooperated and coordinated with the investigation agency. There were 4 mitigating circumstances applied according to the provisions of the law, so a special leniency policy was applied.

Therefore, the Trial Panel sentenced defendant Le Thi Dung to 15 months in prison and ordered the recovery of more than 44 million VND in violation fees; defendant Nguyen Thi Huong was exempted from punishment.

PV Group