Corruption cases in 2017 have so far cost over VND1.35 trillion (US$59.4 million) in damages, of which VND158.8 billion, US$314,000, four houses and one apartment have been retrieved.

The plenary session of the NA Judiciary Committee on Tuesday afternoon discuss the government’s report on corruption prevention in 2017. 

The statistics were announced by Deputy Inspector General of Government Inspectorate Dang Cong Huan at a plenary session of the National Assembly’s Judiciary Committee in Hanoi, on September 5, held to discuss corruption prevention work in 2017.

According to the report, so far this year the General Department of Civil Judgment Enforcement has processed 128 new cases of corruption, with an amount of over VND5.1 trillion, of which 86 cases have been resolved, accounting for over VND1 trillion.

From October 1, 2016 to July 31 this year, the investigating bodies in the public security sector have investigated 282 cases and convicted 628 defendants for corruption (195 new cases, 393 defendants). They have concluded the investigation of 122 cases with 355 accused, while they are currently investigating 145 cases with 251 defendants. Meanwhile, the Procuracy at all levels prosecuted 241 cases with 595 individuals accused of corruption crimes.

According to the government report, on handling the responsibility of the heads of units with a prevalence of corruption, in 2017 there have been 25 cases in which irresponsible heads have been disciplined for allowing corruption to occur. The handling of the responsibility of the heads of corrupted units has promoted the role and responsibility of the heads of agencies and organisations on corruption prevention in their bodies.

However, there is still some confusion during the implementation process in verifying the degree of responsibility of the heads of the higher level for the offense of the heads in the subordinate agencies or in case of perturbation related to inter-branches and levels and in various agencies, units and departments.

The report also outlined the results of inspection, audit and settlement of complaints and denunciations that contribute to preventing, detecting and dealing with corrupt behaviours. The inspection sector has deployed 5,065 administrative inspections and 190,303 specialised ones to discover violations worth over VND34.2 trillion and on 5,803 ha of land.

The relevant authorities proposed to withdraw VND19.5 trillion and over 5,000 ha of land, requesting the competent authorities to consider handling VND14.7 trillion and 729 ha of land and propose disciplinary action of 1,581 collectives and individuals, as well as issuing more than 118,000 administrative sanctioning decisions on violations with the amount of VND 3.18 trillion.

Also through inspections and resolving denunciations under the inspectorate branch, 76 cases with 141 individuals have been detected to be corrupt.

The People Courts at all levels have accepted 300 cases with 706 accused, while giving trial in 145 cases with 328 defendants on corrupt crimes, of which serious crimes accounted for 50% (up 2.3% over the same period in 2016). Seven defendants were sentenced to death and life imprisonment (up 40% over in 2016).

Meanwhile, the State administrative agencies at all levels received 288,008 complaints, denunciations and petitions on 168,310 corruption cases, of which 17,903 cases of complaints and denunciations falling under their jurisdiction have been resolved, reaching over 90%.

In order to promote and improve the effectiveness of anti-corruption work, the Government recommended that the NA and its agencies consider and adopt the revised Law on Prevention and Fight against Corruption and the amended Law on Denunciation, while directing all branches and functional agencies to thoroughly review their legal system in order to make appropriate amendments and supplements to prevent corruption.

In addition, it is necessary to continue intensifying the supervision of anti-corruption work, especially supervising activities of anti-corruption agencies.

The government proposed that the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, socio-political organisations, businesses, the media and the people regularly and closely coordinate with the government and relevant ministries, branches, localities and functional agencies in raising awareness and strengthening the role and responsibility over anti-corruption to actively detect and fight corruption and negative phenomena.

Nhan Dan