Unexpected testimony after the fire

From a report of a house fire.

At approximately 11:30 AM on July 30, 2019, as the entire neighborhood was preparing for lunchtime, some residents heard screams and saw black smoke emanating from a house in the area. Due to the rapid and intense spread of the fire and the thick black smoke, local residents immediately notified the authorities.

Upon receiving the report, the forcesFire PoliceThey quickly arrived at the scene to organize rescue and relief efforts, working with the local people to rescue and take 5 injured victims trapped inside the house to the hospital for treatment and extinguish the fire.

Initial investigations revealed that the house that caught fire belonged to Ms. Nguyen Thi Tr. (born in 1984), residing in Block 10, Quan Bau Ward (Vinh City). At the time of the fire, Ms. Tr. and her two daughters were in the kitchen, while Ms. NTB (born in 1960, Ms. Tr.'s aunt) and her children were in the bedroom on the first floor of the house.

Immediately after providing first aid to the victims, the Criminal Investigation Agency of Vinh City Police coordinated with the professional departments of the Provincial Police and the People's Procuracy of Vinh City to conduct a scene investigation and collect documents and evidence to serve the investigation.

At the time of the search, the property on the first floor of the house was severely damaged, with most of the items near the living room door completely burned. However, the electrical outlets showed no signs of short circuits leading to the fire, and traces of liquid were found near the door. Using professional investigative techniques, the investigators concluded that the fire was caused by an external factor.

As soon as Ms. Tr. regained consciousness, investigators coordinated to investigate further irregularities surrounding the lives of the fire victims in order to narrow down the suspects. It was learned that before the incident, Ms. Tr. had a conflict with someone, but because she refused to meet, the person left afterward. Suspecting this person was the perpetrator, detectives quickly verified the suspect's identity and address and proceeded with an urgent arrest that night.

However, after committing the crime, the suspect quickly fled. Through sharp investigative techniques, combined with a public campaign to encourage reporting of crimes, at 9:00 AM on July 31, 2019, the Vinh City Police task force apprehended the suspect while he was hiding in a hotel in Vinh Tan ward. The main suspect is Bui Sy Cong (born in 1983), residing in Hamlet 11, Nghi Phu commune, Vinh City. Based on the collected documents and evidence, the Vinh City Police Investigation Agency issued a decision to initiate criminal proceedings and indict Bui Sy Cong for the crime of "Murder".

A fit of irrational "revenge in love"

At the police station, Bui Sy Cong confessed that he was so angry with Ms. Tr. that he drove his motorbike to a gas station in Quan Bau ward to buy a 10-liter can of gasoline and then drove straight to Ms. Tr.'s house. After repeatedly knocking on the door and demanding to speak with her, but receiving no response, he felt disrespected. Cong then poured the gasoline onto the house and set it on fire before fleeing. Upon discovering the large fire, Ms. Tr. panicked and shouted for help to put it out, but the fire spread quickly, causing her and others to suffer burns and difficulty breathing.

According to treatment results from Hospital 115 and Nghe An Obstetrics and Pediatrics Hospital, all five people suffered first and second-degree burns, as well as respiratory failure due to smoke inhalation. As for Cong, during the process of setting the fire, he also suffered burns from the flames.

It is known that Bui Sy Cong (born in 1983, residing in Nghi Phu commune, Vinh City, Nghe An province) already had a life partner, a wife nearly ten years younger than him. Every day, Cong works as a freelancer, while his wife runs a small business to support their two young children. In the eyes of friends and relatives, Cong is a meticulous and responsible man who cares deeply for his family and children.

Perhaps Công's marriage would have continued peacefully if Ms. Tr. hadn't left him. This woman was Công's ex-girlfriend. When Công learned that his ex-girlfriend had divorced her husband and was raising her child alone, he showed even more concern. At first, it was just questions and encouragement, but gradually, "fire near straw" led to the two rekindling their old romance, even though Ms. Tr. knew Công had a happy family...

Cong also realized that his actions were wrong and that he had wronged his wife and children, but he seemed unable to extricate himself from the extramarital affair. The two secretly continued their relationship and had a child together. Their clandestine affair was discovered by relatives, who repeatedly advised him against it, but Cong ignored them all. At this point, Ms. Tr. decided to end the relationship definitively, leading to conflict and arguments between them. Unable to contact his mistress, Bui Sy Cong went to Ms. Tr.'s house on the morning of July 30, 2020, to resolve the conflict, resulting in the aforementioned incident.

The victim filed an appeal.

The first-instance trial of Bui Sy Cong for the crime of "murder" was held in March 2020. At this trial, Bui Sy Cong admitted to the crime. Regarding his motive, the defendant stated that he acted out of momentary anger and did not intentionally kill the victim. During his detention, he felt guilty towards the victim and his wife and children, so he requested a reduced sentence to have a chance to make amends and rebuild his life.

Sitting at the table on the other side, Cong's young wife's face showed no emotion. As a woman, as a wife, she had every right to be angry at her husband's infidelity and betrayal, but she had endured it all...

The trial court determined that Bui Sy Cong's act of pouring gasoline on the bedroom door of Ms. Tr.'s house and then setting it on fire was dangerous to the lives of others. Cong knew that the bedroom had only one entrance and exit, and that there were many people inside at the time. The fact that Ms. Tr. and the other four people did not die was unintentional on Cong's part, therefore, prosecuting the defendant for "Murder" was in accordance with the law. Considering all aspects of the case, the court sentenced Bui Sy Cong to 13 years in prison.

However, believing the sentence handed down by the lower court was too harsh, the defendant filed an appeal requesting a reduction in punishment. At the appellate hearing, the defendant Cong stated that in 2016 and 2018 he had assisted victims of traffic accidents, with confirmation from local authorities. Furthermore, in 2019, Cong assisted the Duc Co District Police (Gia Lai province) in solving a drug trafficking case.

Furthermore, Ms. Tr. has also filed an appeal requesting a reduced sentence for the defendant. Attending the trial, the victim stated that after the first-instance trial, the defendant's family had already compensated for the civil damages, so she had no further demands. Other victims in the case also submitted petitions requesting a reduced sentence for the defendant, Cong.

According to Ms. Tr., after the unfortunate incident, she has now forgiven Cong's actions against her. She hopes the court will reduce the sentence so that the defendant has a chance to correct his mistakes and her child can be reunited with his father. The victim's humane words left Cong speechless and only able to bow his head in silence. The appellate court noted that the defendant presented many new details at this hearing, providing sufficient grounds to accept both the defendant's and the victim's appeals.

Therefore, the appellate court decided to amend the first-instance judgment, sentencing Bui Sy Cong to 10 years in prison for "murder." With a 3-year reduction in sentence, Cong's path back to his family and society was shortened. However, the lesson about fidelity and monogamy in this case remains a constant reminder to everyone: Don't let extramarital affairs or blind instincts lead you to violate the law and cause suffering to others.

An Quynh