Handling the responsibility of 25 leaders for negativity and corruption

The "fuzzy" mirrors

Through the fight against corruption, the authorities have discovered and handled a number of cases of taking advantage of loopholes in management, mechanisms, policies or taking advantage of assigned tasks to harass and gain personal gain.

A typical case occurred at the Provincial Ethnic Committee. Accordingly, Kim Van Bon - former civil servant of the Ethnic Policy Department of the Nghe An Provincial Ethnic Committee was assigned to perform a number of tasks in the process of implementing the Project on socio-economic development of the O Du ethnic group in Nga My commune, Tuong Duong district. During the implementation process, Kim Van Bon created fake documents and appropriated budget money, totaling 350,000,000 VND.

Authorities read the arrest warrant for Mr. Kim Van Bon. Photo courtesy of Trong Tuan

On July 21, 2020 and July 30, 2020, the Investigation Police Agency of Nghe An Province issued a Decision to prosecute the case and a Decision to prosecute the accused Kim Van Bon for the crime of "Embezzlement of property”. Nguyen Tam Long - former Deputy Head of the Ethnic Policy Department was also prosecuted for the crime of "Lack of responsibility causing serious consequences" as prescribed in Clause 2, Article 353, Clause 1, Article 360 ​​of the Penal Code. The investigation determined: In addition to the above acts, in 2019, implementing package No. 02 in the Project, the Ethnic Committee of Nghe An province signed a contract with Van Son Construction Joint Stock Company, address Hamlet 8, Quynh Van Commune, Quynh Luu District. In which, there was an item to purchase Kubuta tractors at a price of VND 224,500,000 to supply to the beneficiary, Vang Mon village, Nga My commune, Tuong Duong district.

During the implementation of the above bidding package, Nguyen Tam Long was assigned by the Board's leadership to advise and directly implement. During the acceptance, handover and payment process, although he knew that the plowing machine item did not exist (falsely), Long still advised the Head of the Ethnic Minorities Committee of Nghe An province to sign the acceptance. On that basis, on January 21, 2020, the Ethnic Minorities Committee completed the disbursement procedures for Van Son Construction Joint Stock Company. After receiving the money, Van Son Construction Joint Stock Company did not purchase the plowing machine as agreed in the contract, causing loss of State assets.

On July 30, 2020, the Investigation Police Agency of Nghe An Province issued a Decision to prosecute the case, a Decision to prosecute the accused against Nguyen Tam Long, Le Van Son and Nguyen Dinh Thinh (officers of Van Son Construction Joint Stock Company) for the crime of "Abusing position and power while performing official duties" as prescribed in Clause 2, Article 356 of the Penal Code. The case is currently under investigation. Recently, the authorities announced that they had decided to change the charge of prosecution against Nguyen Tam Long from "Lack of responsibility causing serious consequences" to "Embezzlement of property".

Police searched Mr. Nguyen Tam Long's workplace at the provincial Ethnic Minorities Committee. Photo courtesy of Duc Vu

On January 20, 2020, knowing that Hoa Sen Group - Nghe An Province Branch requested stores to report debts, Thong texted Cao Thi Nho - the store's sales staff and cashier, stating that she had collected all debts from the above customers and requested Cao Thi Nho to report the reduction of all debts for all customers on the software system, then Thong would transfer the entire amount to the Hoa Sen Group - Nghe An Province Branch system. After receiving Thong's request, Nho went into the customer management software to reduce the customers' debts to 0 VND, but Thong did not deposit the money into the company's account.

On January 23, 2020, Hoa Sen Group - Nghe An Branch conducted an inspection and made a record of Nguyen Hoang Thong's violations. On January 30, 2020, Hoa Sen Group Joint Stock Company - Nghe An Branch filed a criminal complaint against Thong for appropriating VND 181,303,000. On August 10, 2020 and August 24, 2020, the Investigation Police Agency of Nam Dan District Police issued a Decision to prosecute the case and prosecute Nguyen Hoang Thong for the crime of "Embezzlement of property" as prescribed in Clause 2, Article 353 of the Penal Code. The case has now completed investigation, prosecution, and is awaiting trial.

Those are just two of the cases involved.corruptionwhich the authorities have recently accepted to investigate. Focusing on the crimes: embezzlement of property, abuse of power and position in performing official duties, lack of responsibility causing serious consequences, bribery... in which the criminals are teachers, commune and hamlet leaders, land officials; site clearance council officials, officials in enterprises...

Defendant Phan Tien Sy - former Head of Yen Thanh Protective Forest Management Board and accomplices at court. Photo courtesy of Tran Vu

It is painful that many cases have many criminals, including key leaders such as the case of Ngo Xuan Nghia - former Chairman of the People's Committee of Nghia Dong Commune, Tan Ky District and his accomplices, who committed the crime of "Abuse of power while performing official duties" related to illegal land sales. Also prosecuted were Trinh Huu Minh - former Party Secretary of the commune and 02 cadres who were formerly the land and finance officers of this commune. Or the case of Phan Tien Sy and his accomplices committing the crime of "Abusing position while performing official duties" that occurred at the Yen Thanh Protective Forest Management Board...

This reality sounds an alarm bell about the awareness of complying with legal regulations and public ethics among a number of current officials and civil servants.

In 2020, the investigation agencies at all levels in the province investigated 08 cases/30 defendants related to corruption. Of which, old cases were transferred: 3 cases/14 defendants, new cases were accepted: 05 cases/16 defendants. Through investigation, prosecution, and trial, corruption cases were discovered to have caused losses of more than 28.91 billion VND, including 10.94 billion VND and 196,378 m²land (equivalent to more than 17.97 billion VND); of which 10.46/10.94 billion VND was recovered (reaching a rate of 95.6%). Within 10 years (2011-2020), the whole province discovered and handled 522 cadres and party members who committed criminal offenses, of which 60 cases were related to corruption and position.

Strictly handle the responsibility of the leader

Implementing Directive No. 50-CT/TW of the Politburo on strengthening the Party's leadership in detecting and handling corruption cases; Directive No. 10/CT-TTg of the Prime Minister on strengthening the handling and effective prevention of harassment and trouble for people and businesses in handling work, in the past time, with the focused and drastic leadership and direction of the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People's Committee, judicial agencies, all levels, sectors, socio-political organizations, the business community, the press and the people have worked together to deploy many synchronous solutions to prevent harassment and trouble for people and businesses.

The Provincial Party Committee's Internal Affairs Committee inspected and reviewed the socio-economic inspection conclusions in Hoang Mai town. Photo courtesy of Le Thuy

Many agencies and units have issued regulations on the management of cadres and civil servants; organized employees to sign emulation covenants, pledging not to violate public ethics. At the same time, inspection and supervision work has been stepped up, and administrative reform has been actively carried out to prevent the abuse of public service for harassment. In addition, inspection activities including (administrative inspection, specialized inspection, internal self-inspection; responsibility inspection, public service inspection, etc.) have also been coordinated and implemented by functional sectors resolutely and synchronously.

In 2020, through inspection work, the total value of violations was discovered to be 44,773 billion VND; of which, it was recommended to recover 28,031 billion VND and handle 16,742 billion VND; violations were discovered and recommended to handle 20,564 m²Land. As a result, 23,587 billion VND was recovered (84.2%); 16,742 billion VND was handled differently, recovering 1,305/1,404 m2 for the State.²land, reaching 92.95%.

The administrative inspectorate alone recommended administrative sanctions against 59 organizations and 179 individuals who committed violations; transferred 02 cases with signs of violations to the police investigation agency, which were cases with signs of violations in financial and budget management at the People's Committee of Long Son commune, Anh Son district and in the issuance of land use right certificates and transfers in Dien Yen commune, Dien Chau district. Thereby, disciplinary action was taken against 02 individuals with warnings and 03 individuals who were officials and civil servants who committed violations during the inspection of financial and budget management at the People's Committee of Long Son commune (Anh Son).

In addition to solutions to prevent and combat violations of public ethics, the Provincial Party Committee issued Regulation No. 2993-QD/TU dated July 8, 2019 on "Responsibility to set an example for cadres and party members, first of all, members of the Standing Committee, members of the Provincial Party Committee, and key leaders at all levels of Nghe An province".

The regulation clearly shows that the higher the position of cadres and party members, the more exemplary they must be. At the same time, the heads of agencies and units that allow violations, especially violations related to the implementation of public duties, are strictly handled. To date, 11 heads of 4 agencies, localities and units have been disciplined for allowing corruption to occur in the agencies and units under their charge. 14 heads of 8 agencies, localities and units have been disciplined for allowing violations in financial and land management.

Provincial Inspectorate officers review tasks according to expertise. Photo courtesy of Thanh Le

However, according to the assessment of the Provincial Steering Committee for Anti-Corruption: The work of recovering assets caused by corruption and positions in the land sector has encountered many limitations. After being sold, exchanged or illegally transferred to households, most of the land has been granted land use right certificates or valuable constructions have been built for stable residence and settlement, long-term cultivation on the allocated land. If it has to be recovered, it will cause great damage to the people, so the recovery of land areas illegally transferred or sold cannot be carried out. In addition, the purpose of the defendants who are commune and village officials when carrying out the act of land allocation, land sale, land lease... is mostly to use the collected money to build welfare works of the village and commune, serving the people's lives; after being prosecuted, the defendants also paid compensation, but most of them are facing economic difficulties, so the recovery of assets in these cases is often not possible.

To prevent and stop negative behaviors in public service activities, in addition to continuing to organize and deploy solutions to implement the National Strategy on Anti-Corruption and the Action Program on Anti-Corruption in accordance with reality, Nghe An province recommends that the Government direct ministries, branches, and ministerial-level agencies to soon issue documents regulating the list and periodic deadline for job transfers in agencies, organizations, and units under the management scope of sectors and fields at local authorities so that they can soon be implemented in accordance with the provisions of the 2018 Law on Anti-Corruption.