Sentencing of man who shot neighbor and then escaped arrest for 22 years

On July 29, the People's Court of Nghe An province opened a trial for defendant Luong Van Bun (born in 1981, originally from Kim Da commune, Tuong Duong district), registered permanent residence in Thanh Son commune, Thanh Chuong district (Nghe An) for the crime of murder. The case involving this defendant occurred 22 years ago.

According to the indictment, on the afternoon of November 28, 2002, Luong Van Bun returned home from working in the fields and saw Luong Kham V. (born in 1976) and some people leveling the foundation of the house on Mr. V's land.

Because Mr. V's house was on a slope above Bun's house, the leveling process caused dirt and rocks to roll down and damage the bamboo fence and crops in the garden. Bun was angry and went to ask, but Mr. V said, "If it's broken, fix it." After that, the two sides argued loudly.

Mr. V. walked onto Bun's land, cursing as he walked. Angry, Bun went into the house, got a homemade gun, and shot Mr. V. in the left chest. The injured victim was taken to the hospital by people. Authorities determined that the victim suffered a 33% health loss.

On the afternoon of the incident, Luong Van Bun was arrested by the commune police. While working at the police station, Bun took advantage of a loophole and escaped. Nghe An Provincial Police have issued a decisionwanted. On April 5, 2024, Bun was arrested while hiding in Laos.

At the trial, the defendant admitted to the crime. The defendant stated that due to a conflict, he used a homemade gun to shoot the victim. Out of fear, the defendant fled.

The jury determined that the defendant's actions constituted murder. The victim survived thanks to timely emergency care.

In this case, the defendant has some mitigating circumstances such as confessing honestly, repenting, and helping the police capture a wanted suspect.

After a comprehensive review of the case, the panel sentenced defendant Luong Van Bun to 12 years in prison for murder. In the civil case, the court ordered the defendant to compensate the victim 97 million VND.