Addicted, he used the money his children sent home to support his grandchildren to buy drugs.
(Baonghean.vn) - Justifying that he used drugs to avoid Covid-19 infection, to stay awake when hunting animals, to have the strength to herd cows..., but when he came across a batch of drugs for sale at a cheap price, Bun immediately bought them to "take advantage of the sale to make a profit" and in the end had to pay a high price.
Take all the money to raise grandchildren to buy drugs
The trial of defendant Kha Van Bun (born in 1963), residing in Pieng Hom village, Pha Danh commune, Ky Son district, for the crime of “Illegal drug trafficking” had to go through two trials, because this defendant did not admit to selling drugs. During the two days of the trial, very few of Bun’s relatives attended. According to this man, his wife was busy taking care of the grandchildren, and most of the children were working far away, so no one could come.
Kha Van Bun has been addicted to drugs for a long time. Therefore, in 2019, this subject was sentenced to 12 months in prison by the People's Court of Ky Son district for "Illegal possession of drugs". After serving his prison sentence, Bun returned to his hometown, making a living by hunting wild animals, raising livestock and farming. His family life was poor and deprived, but the father of 3 children, even a grandfather, still could not break away from the "brown fairy". Bun confessed to regularly using drugs, sometimes up to 3 times a day. "Sunk" in drugs, all the money he had, even the money his children working far away sent home to support his grandchildren, Bun "burned" it all on that banned substance.
On June 5, 2023, while hunting in the forest area bordering Laos, Bun met a man (unknown origin). While talking to the man in Thai, Bun asked to buy 3 packages of pink meth from the man for 4.5 million VND. After receiving the money, the man gave Kha Van Bun 3 packages of pink meth (1 pink package and 2 blue packages). Bun took the drugs, put them in a crossbody bag and brought them home with the intention of both using them and selling them for profit. When he got home, Bun took some pink meth, wrapped it in a piece of tin foil, and put it in his shirt pocket hanging over his bed. The rest, Bun wrapped in a plastic bag and hid it in a shelf.
At around 10:00 a.m. on June 7, 2023, when Kha Van Bun was at home, the police force came to work, Bun voluntarily handed over the above drugs. The appraisal results of the Criminal Techniques Department, Nghe An Provincial Police concluded that the number of pink tablets seized from Kha Van Bun was 50.15 grams of drugs (Methamphetamine).
Justify, deny
At the first trial, the defendant did not admit to buying drugs to sell for profit. Bun told the court that he was addicted to drugs and only bought them for his own use. When asked why he only used drugs but bought such a large quantity, the defendant said, "I bought them because I came across a batch of drugs that were cheap." Regarding the money he used to buy drugs, Bun said he used it to sell cow meat. "I raised a few cows in the forest. One of them was injured after falling into a ravine, so I butchered and sold the meat to people in the village. I then used that money to buy drugs," Bun told the court.
In addition, the 60-year-old defendant also stated that the reason for his severe drug addiction was because “during the Covid-19 pandemic, I heard people say that using drugs would not cause infection. But then, not only did I get sick, I also became more addicted to drugs, sometimes using up to 3 times a day”. This defendant also said that he used drugs to stay awake when hunting animals, “if I was “hungry” for drugs one day, I would not have the energy to herd cows”!
At the trial, the Trial Panel analyzed for the defendant the harmful effects of drugs on the user; and because the defendant did not admit to the act of illegal drug trafficking, the Trial Panel decided to stop the trial.
Appropriate sentence
At the second trial, the court summoned additional witnesses and played a video recording of the investigation agency questioning the defendant. During the interrogations with the participation of lawyers and witnesses, Kha Van Bun confessed to buying drugs for his own use and selling them to anyone in need. Witnesses summoned to the trial also confirmed the defendant's testimony at the investigation agency. At this point, the defendant admitted to trafficking drugs for sale. The defendant previously stated that he had denied the crime because he was afraid.
In his final statement before the court deliberated, the defendant asked the court to consider reducing his sentence so that he could return to his children and grandchildren soon. Bun was afraid that his children, who were working far away, would be sad if they knew that he had used the money they sent home for their grandparents to raise their grandchildren to buy drugs. At the same time, he promised that he would not get involved with drugs again in the future...
The jury determined that because the defendant denied the crime, he was not entitled to a mitigating circumstance. Considering the entire case, the court sentenced defendant Kha Van Bun to 16 years in prison for “Illegal drug trafficking”. As for the man who sold drugs to Bun, because he did not know his identity or background, the investigation agency had no basis to verify and clarify in order to propose a case for him to be tried.
At his age, Kha Van Bun should have set an example for his children and grandchildren, but instead he fell deeper into drug addiction and then sold drugs, causing his health to be affected, the family economy to decline, and he himself to be imprisoned, becoming a burden to his family, causing many consequences for society. Through this, once again, it is a warning lesson for those who intend to find joy in drugs and make money with drugs, sooner or later they will have to pay the price with appropriate sentences.