Heartbreaking sound of a child calling 'dad' in the middle of the courtroom

"Debt" by drugs

Perhaps, half of Bui Van Mang’s life (born in 1974, residing in Hai Chau district, Da Nang city) was spent in prison. In 1992, just turned 18, Mang received a 15-month prison sentence for the crime of “Theft of public property” and “Stealing socialist property”. Not long after being released from prison, Mang continued to receive an additional 12 months in prison for the “two-fingered” habit in a sentence announced in early 1995.

In 1999, Mang’s criminal record was “supplemented” with a 12-month prison sentence for “Disturbing public order”. Four years later, he returned to prison with an 18-year sentence for “Illegal drug trafficking”. Thanks to his good behavior, his sentence was reduced 7 times and he was released from prison in 2018.

Defendant Bui Van Mang. Photo: Nhu Binh

Continuously in and out of prison, his first wife got frustrated and left Mang. But his love life was on his side, and shortly after his release from prison, Mang married a woman 21 years younger than him. When his wife gave birth to their child, just over a year later, Mang was arrested for being involved in nearly 3 kg of drugs.

According to the investigation, Mang lent a man named Duong 200 million VND but was unable to get it back many times. On January 7, 2021, Duong called Mang and said he was going to Que Phong district (Nghe An) to pay, but then said he had no money and asked Mang to bring 3 packages of drugs to Da Nang to sell to pay off the debt. When Mang took the drugs to Da Nang, he was arrested by Nghe An Provincial Police.

Bui Van Mang did not admit to the act of “Illegal drug trafficking” but claimed that he was only transporting drugs. However, during the investigation, questioning, and public debate at the trial, the representative of the People’s Procuracy of Nghe An province affirmed that the prosecution of Bui Van Mang for the crime of “Illegal drug trafficking” was the right person, the right crime, and the right law. The representative of the People’s Procuracy of Nghe An province requested the court to sentence the defendant Mang to death.

A painful call "dad"

Hearing the sentence proposed by the provincial People's Procuracy for her husband, defendant Mang's wife burst into tears and rushed out of the courtroom. Her 2-year-old child was brought from Da Nang by her, hoping that he would be able to see his father.

The court entered for deliberation, the woman brought her child back in, asking the police to let her see her father. Looking at the expectant eyes of the young wife, the police officer nodded in agreement but asked her to sit far away, ensuring a distance to prevent Covid-19. She sat down, constantly coaxing her child, "Daddy is there, baby, that's Mang's dad. Call daddy, baby." Despite her mother's every attempt, the little girl kept her eyes glued to the phone, refusing to call her dad. "If you don't call daddy, I'll take your phone away," the young mother tried to "negotiate" with her child.

Seemingly afraid that her mother would take away her phone, the little girl shouted “Dad”, her eyes never leaving the phone in her hand for a second. Helpless, the mother snatched the phone away, and the little girl immediately started to struggle and cry. Her mother hurriedly carried her out of the courtroom, and a woman who looked like her grandmother ran after her. “It’s so miserable, when her father was arrested, she was only a few months old. Her mother only showed her a picture of her father on the phone, but here her father was wearing a mask, so she probably wouldn’t recognize him,” she explained.

Finally, the mother gave up and had to return the phone to her child to carry her into the courtroom, hoping that father and daughter could talk to each other. While the child refused to talk to her father, Bui Van Mang remained silent, not asking about his wife or calling out to his child. Only the young wife, after comforting her child, looked up at her husband, her teary eyes revealing her sorrow and helplessness...

Defendant Mang's wife and children. Photo: Nhu Binh

The court came in to announce the verdict, Mang's wife took the child out and asked someone to look after him, then came back in. The presiding judge said that the defendant Mang committed the crime of "Illegal drug trafficking" and was a repeat offender, the amount of drugs he traded was large, the defendant had a bad personal history... and could no longer be rehabilitated, so a very severe sentence was needed, commensurate with the defendant's criminal behavior and had a deterrent and general preventive nature. Considering the case as a whole, the panel sentenced Bui Van Mang to death.

As if he had guessed the outcome he would receive, Bui Van Mang appeared calm. However, behind him, Mang's young wife collapsed, tears streaming down her face. Accepting to marry a man with many flaws, she probably never thought of this situation.

The relative helped her up to leave the courtroom. The young woman walked aimlessly, her eyes glazed over as if she could no longer cry. In her arms, the child was still glued to the phone. Perhaps the child was too young to understand that he was about to become an orphan./.