Trial of the case of 'embezzlement' of flood relief money in Ky Son district

According to the indictment, in early October 2022, flash floods occurred, causing serious impacts on the health and property of people in Ky Son district. To help people make ends meet, ChangShin Dong Nai Company Limited has planned to support many households in the district.

At that time, Lo Thi Minh Nhan was Vice President of the Ky Son District Red Cross Society and Lo Thi Soa was Vice President of the Ta Ca Commune Red Cross Society. Nhan and Soa were assigned to compile and compile a list of permanent households in Hoa Son and Son Ha villages, Ta Ca commune to receive a gift of 2 million VND/household and 25 extremely disadvantaged households in the commune to receive a gift of 5 million VND/household. Based on the list compiled by the village chiefs, Lo Thi Soa and Lo Thi Minh Nhan together compiled the list and typed it up to send to the Nghe An Provincial Red Cross Society for approval.

Once the list was approved, Soa and Nhan proceeded to sort and cut out the gift vouchers. The green vouchers were for 5 million VND and the white vouchers were for 2 million VND. However, when cutting out the vouchers, both discovered that 16/25 extremely poor households (receiving 5 million VND) were on the same list as those receiving 2 million VND.

At this time, Nhan had the idea of ​​keeping the amount of 2 million VND and asking someone to receive it on her behalf to use the money to pay for operating expenses. Soa agreed to find someone to receive it on her behalf with the request that they must have a thank you gift for them (the recipients). After the incident was successful, Nhan and Soa received 37 million VND. Of which: Lo Thi Minh Nhan took advantage of 18.5 million VND; Lo Thi Soa took advantage of 12 million VND; the remaining amount was used by the two defendants to thank the recipients.

Immediately after being investigated for the case, defendant Lo Thi Minh Nhan voluntarily returned 20 million VND and Lo Thi Soa recovered 17 million VND.

When asked by the jury about the amount of money they had stolen, Soa and Nhan both affirmed that the money was for the association's use and not for personal purposes, but was discovered "before they could use it".

The mitigating circumstances of the defendants include having good personal records, receiving many certificates of merit for their achievements in association work, repentance, voluntary confession and remedy of all consequences. However, the two defendants must bear the aggravating circumstance of taking advantage of natural disasters to commit crimes.

Based on the case file, the panel decided to sentence: Lo Thi Minh Nhan received 18 months in prison, suspended, 3 years of probation, and Lo Thi Soa received 12 months in prison, suspended, 2 years of probation for the crime of "Abusing position and power while performing official duties".