Two individuals are on trial for illegally clearing forests and damaging land managed by the forestry station.
(Baonghean.vn) - On February 28, the People's Court of Quy Hop district held a first-instance trial to hear the criminal case against defendants Lo Van Manh (born in 1984), residing in Teo village; and Quang Van Cuong (born in 1984), residing in Ha Dong hamlet, both in Chau Cuong commune, for the crime of "Destroying forests".
In mid-March 2022, Lo Van Manh was looking for buffaloes in the production forest area managed by Quy Hop Forestry Station in Teo village, Chau Cuong commune, Quy Hop district, when he discovered a flat area of land and conceived an idea.cutting down forest treesTo grow crops and acacia trees.
Accordingly, Lo Van Manh hired Quang Van Cuong to clear trees, agreeing to a daily wage of 200,000 VND, which Cuong agreed to. Manh and Cuong used machetes, axes, and chainsaws to clear and cut trees in Lots 14, 18, 19, Section 7, Sub-area 295B, production forest managed by Quy Hop Forestry Station, over a period of 7 days.
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| Defendants Lo Van Manh and Quang Van Cuong at the trial. Photo: Phan Giang |
On May 31, 2022, the Investigation Agency of the Quy Hop District Police established a field inspection team at Lot 14, Lot 18, 19, Plot 7, Sub-area 295B, in Teo village, Chau Cuong commune, Quy Hop district. The investigation agency, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Nghe An province, conducted an inspection of the area of forest illegally cleared in Chau Cuong commune: At Lot 14, Plot 7, the cleared area was 6,362 m².2139 miscellaneous trees such as chestnut, rambutan, and salt-bearing trees were cut down; in Lots 18, 19, and Plot 7, the cleared area was 8,893 m².271 miscellaneous trees such as chestnut, ebony, and other species, and 236 bamboo trees were cut down. The total area of production forest cleared by Lo Van Manh and Quang Van Cuong in Lots 14, 18, 19, Plot 7, Sub-area 295B is 15,255 m².2The property damage amounted to 32,842,800 VND.
At the first-instance trial, defendants Mạnh and Cường admitted to all their crimes. Based on the provisions of the Criminal Code, aggravating and mitigating circumstances, the People's Court of Quỳ Hợp District sentenced Lô Văn Mạnh and Quang Văn Cường each to 3 years of suspended imprisonment, with a probation period of 5 years, for the crime of "Destruction of Forests" as stipulated in Clause 2, Article 243 of the Criminal Code.
Regarding civil liability, defendants Lo Van Manh and Quang Van Cuong are ordered to compensate Quy Hop Forestry Enterprise for damages totaling 32,842,800 VND.
