Commune police chief drinks alcohol, uses rubber bullet gun at headquarters, gets 12 months in prison

On February 9, Nghi Loc District People's Court opened a first-instance criminal trial of defendant Nguyen Ngoc Thau (44 years old, former Chief of Police of Nghi Quang Commune, Nghi Loc) for the crime of "Disturbing public order".

Nguyen Ngoc Thau at the trial. Photo: Tr.Đ

According to the indictment, at noon on November 9, 2017, Thau went out to eat and drank alcohol. At 1 p.m. the same day, Thau called Mr. Nguyen Dinh Thanh - Chairman of Nghi Quang Commune People's Committee to request permission to fill the dirt to repair the road in front of the Commune Health Station. Mr. Thanh agreed.

At 3 p.m. the same day, the commune police chief came to the headquarters to ask Mr. Thanh why the road had not been repaired yet. The commune chairman said it was because of the rain that it had not been done yet. Having drunk a bit, Thau suddenly pulled out a rubber bullet gun and fired a shot into the air.

Hearing the gunshots, a commune official ran out to stop him, took the gun from his hand and put it in the cabinet. At this time, the commune police chief ran into the office to get another rubber bullet gun and took the one he had just taken away and ran out to continue insulting the commune chairman.

The two sides struggled, Mr. Thau held a gun and shot at Mr. Thanh, threatening others. The incident only stopped when many people rushed in to stop it and called the Nghi Loc District Police to report it.

Nghi Loc District Police Department seized the rubber bullet gun and brought Nguyen Ngoc Thau to the district police headquarters for investigation according to the law.

Mr. Thanh was shot three times in both shoulders and was taken to the hospital for emergency treatment.

The wounds on Mr. Thanh's body were caused by rubber bullets. Photo: PB

At the trial, defendant Nguyen Ngoc Thau admitted his crime. When given the final say before the court deliberated, Nguyen Ngoc Thau apologized to the authorities at all levels, the police force, the government and all the people of Nghi Quang commune for losing trust when doing the above wrongdoings.

The presiding judge stated that in 1998, the defendant was sentenced to 12 months of suspended imprisonment by the District People's Court for "Disturbing Public Order" but his criminal record had been cleared. During his years as the Commune Police Chief, the defendant received many certificates of merit from various levels.

Considering the relevant circumstances, the People's Court sentenced defendant Nguyen Ngoc Thau to 12 months in prison.