This morning, January 28, two former deputy ministers of public security appeared in court with Vu 'Nhom'.

This morning (January 28), Hanoi People's Court opened the first instance trial of Phan Van Anh Vu (Vu "Nhom") and Mr. Bui Van Thanh (former Deputy Minister of Public Security), Mr. Tran Viet Tan (former Deputy Minister of Public Security), Mr. Phan Huu Tuan (former Deputy Director General of the General Department of Intelligence, Ministry of Public Security), and Mr. Nguyen Huu Bach (former Deputy Director) for two crimes.Abuse of position and power while performing official dutiesandLack of responsibility causes serious consequencesThe trial is scheduled to last three days, January 28-30.

This is the third time Vu "Nhom" has appeared in court and the second time he has been brought to trial at the Hanoi People's Court. In 2018, Vu "Nhom" was sentenced to 8 years in prison by the High People's Court for intentionally disclosing state secret documents. Also in this case, Phan Huu Tuan was sentenced to 7 years in prison, Nguyen Huu Bach received a sentence of 6 years in prison for the same crime.

At the end of 2018, in a case related to violations at Dong A Bank, Vu "Nhom" received a 17-year prison sentence for the crime.Abuse of power to appropriate property.

In the case brought to trial today, the indictment determined that Vu "Nhom" was recruited into the police force as an intelligence officer. All of his professional activities were known to and directly directed by Mr. Tran Viet Tan, Nguyen Huu Bach, and Phan Huu Tuan.

The two companies previously established and owned by Vu, Bac Nam 79 (Da Nang) and Nova Bac Nam 79 (Ho Chi Minh City), were used as front organizations for the police. The General Department of Intelligence (General Department V) did not invest or contribute capital to these two enterprises; all activities were still directly managed by Vu.

The indictment alleges that Vu "Nhom" took advantage of the name of the front organization of General Department V to request ministries, branches and local authorities to lease land, transfer land use rights and assets on land of 7 public housing and land projects with an area of ​​up to thousands of square meters in prime locations in Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City, contrary to the law.

Specifically, from 2009 to 2016, based on the proposal of Vu "Nhom", Nguyen Huu Bach and Phan Huu Tuan approved, signed and issued or initialed many documents to the Ministry of Public Security, requesting the People's Committees of Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang to allow the front company to receive the right to use 7 public land plots and real estate projects with a total area of ​​6,700 m2.²house and 26,800 m²land, worth more than 2,500 billion VND.

In Da Nang there are 4 addresses: 319 Le Duan (Thanh Khe district, 800 m wide)²); nearly 4,000 m²Land and house at 16 Bach Dang (Hai Chau district); 3,260 m²on Ngo Quyen Street (Son Tra District); land area of ​​over 15,500 m²belongs to the coastal tourism trail project from Vegas Resort to Ben Thanh Non Nuoc tourist area (Ngu Hanh Son district).

In Ho Chi Minh City there are: nearly 5,000 m²House and land number 15 Thi Sach, nearly 1,300 m²at 8 Nguyen Trung Truc (District 1) and land and house at 129 Pasteur (District 3) with an area of ​​over 3,700 m2².

Authorities determined that immediately after the two front companies were assigned the right to use and the assets in the above plots of land, Vu "Nhom" transferred them to himself, his family members or associated with others. This purpose was not in the professional activities of the police force but was for personal gain, causing a loss of 1,160 billion VND to the State.

The prosecution agency concluded that the above behavior of Vu "Nhom" was a crime.Abusing position and power while performing official duties, according to Clause 3, Article 356 of the 2015 Penal Code with a penalty of 10-15 years in prison.

During the investigation, Vu "Nhom" initially admitted to his crime and submitted a request to hand over 7 assets obtained from his crime to remedy the consequences, but later changed his statement and also submitted a request not to hand them over.

Two deputy ministers of public security turned a blind eye to Vu "Nhom" embezzling public land.

Authorities allege that from 2014 to 2018, Mr. Bui Van Thanh was Deputy Minister of Public Security, assigned to be in charge of the General Department of Logistics (General Department IV) - the unit directly responsible for managing public real estate of the Ministry of Public Security.

Although not in charge of General Department V, on May 28, 2015 (based on Phan Van Anh Vu's Proposal and Phan Huu Tuan's proposed report), Mr. Thanh signed a proposal to the Prime Minister to sell the real estate facility at 129 Pasteur (HCMC) to Nova Bac Nam 79 Joint Stock Company to serve the professional activities of the police force.

Five months later, former Deputy Minister Thanh signed an official dispatch requesting the Department of Natural Resources and Environment and the Department of Finance of Ho Chi Minh City to submit to the City's Real Estate Valuation Council and the local People's Committee to approve the sale price of the above real estate at more than 300 billion VND, which is not within the prescribed functions and authority.

Although General Department IV, Ministry of Public Security reported in writing to Bui Van Thanh that the valuation company determined that the house and land at 129 Pasteur was only worth 294 billion VND, Mr. Thanh did not fulfill his responsibility in directing General Department IV to clarify the reason for the price reduction.

Mr. Thanh also did not direct General Department IV to issue a written notice to General Department V to know, manage, and monitor the house and land facilities for security purposes. When Vu "Nhom" transferred this house and land to an outside private individual, Mr. Thanh did not report to the competent authority in time to prevent it. His actions were accused of causing particularly large losses to the State of nearly 223 billion VND.

Similarly, during the period 2009-2016, Tran Viet Tan was the Director General of General Department V, then Deputy Minister of Public Security, and was directly assigned to be in charge of General Department V.

After receiving advice and recommendations from his subordinates, Deputy Minister Tan signed and issued seven documents to agencies and organizations requesting that the front companies chaired by Phan Van Anh Vu be allowed to rent real estate to serve the police sector's professional work. These are the house and land at 16 Bach Dang (Da Nang); the house and land at 15 Thi Sach (HCMC) and the house and land at 8 Nguyen Trung Truc (HCMC).

After signing documents related to the three projects mentioned above, Mr. Tan was accused of being irresponsible in managing and directing General Department V; failing to closely inspect and supervise; leading to failure to promptly detect and prevent violations by Vu "Nhom".

Meanwhile, Vu "Nhom" took advantage of the name of a front company and documents of the Ministry of Public Security and General Department V to rent public houses and lands in Da Nang city and Ho Chi Minh city by appointment without auction, causing especially large losses to the State budget of more than 155 billion VND.

The prosecution agency determined that this was a very serious corruption case occurring in the police force, receiving special attention from public opinion.

The defendants are mostly people with high and important positions in the police force, but they failed to maintain the moral qualities, bravery and good traditions of the force, and also took advantage of their assigned duties and responsibilities to actively support Vu "Nhom" or were irresponsible, allowing him to use the front organization as a tool to seize public housing and land projects, causing especially great damage to the State.

"The defendants' criminal acts have caused public outrage and loss of public trust, and need to be strictly tried before the law," the indictment emphasized.