The Hanoi People’s Court will open proceedings in the trial of Dinh La Thang and his accomplices accused of wrongdoings at PetroVietnam Construction Joint Stock Corporation (PVC) on January 8, 2018. 

Dinh La Thang, former Chairman of the Member Council of PetroVietnam 

According to an announcement issued by the court on December 27, a five-member bench will judge the case. 

Twelve out of 22 defendants in the case have been charged with “deliberatly violating State regulations on economic management, causing severe consequences” in line with clause 3 of article 165 of the 1999 Penal Code.

They are Dinh La Thang, former Chairman of the Member Council of PetroVietnam; Phung Dinh Thuc, former General Director of PetroVietnam; Nguyen Quoc Khanh, former Deputy General Director of PetroVietnam; Nguyen Xuan Son, former Deputy General Director of PetroVietnam; Ninh Van Quynh, former chief accountant and former head of the department of finance, accounting and auditing of PetroVietnam; Le Dinh Mau, former deputy head of the department of accounting and auditing of PetroVietnam; Vu Hong Chuong, former head of PetroVietnam’s management board for the Thai Binh 2  thermal power plant project; Tran Van Nguyen, former chief accountant of the PetroVietnam’s management board for the Thai Binh 2  thermal power plant project; Nguyen Ngoc Quy, former Vice Chairman of PVC; Nguyen Manh Tien; former General Director of PVC; Pham Tien Dat, former chief accountant of PVC; and Truong Quoc Dung, former General Director of PVC. 

Eight others have been charged with “misappropriating property” in accordance with clause 4 of article 278 of the 1999 Penal Code. 

Meanwhile, Trinh Xuan Thanh, former Chairman and General Director of PVC, and Vu Duc Thuan, former PVC General Director, have been charged with  “deliberatly violating State regulations on economic management, causing severe consequences” and “misappropriating property.”

The Supreme People’s Procuracy of Vietnam announced the charges on December 26 after investigations into wrongdoings at PetroVietnam and its subsidiary PVC ended. 

According to the indictment of the Supreme People’s Procuracy, this is an extremely serious case involving people holding key positions in important economic units and major national projects like Thai Binh 2 thermal power plant.  

The indictment says that Thang was mainly responsible for wrongdoings during construction of the Thai Binh 2 thermal power plant project. 

He allegedly instructed PetroVietnam to carry out the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) package. He is also accused of directing PetroVietnam Power Corporation (PV Power) to illegally sign EPC No. 33 with PVC.

Then, based on the illegitimate contracts, Thang went on to direct PetroVietnam to advance over 6.6 million USD and over 1.3 trillion VND (57.7 million USD) in breach of regulations, according to prosecutors.

Thang’s alleged actions caused losses of nearly 120 billion VND (5.3 million USD) to the State coffer. 

Meanwhile, Thanh purportedly directed Thuan to sign EPC No. 33 during the construction of the Thai Binh 2 project so PVC could get advance deposits of over 6.6 million USD and over 1.312 trillion VND (57.7 million USD). He is also accused of using the money illegally, causing losses to the State budget. 

Thanh and Thuan also reportedly directed Nguyen Anh Minh, PVC’s former Deputy General Director and Luong Van Hoa, former Director of PVC’s Vung Ang-Quang Trach Project Management Board, to draw up false documents to withdraw more than 13 billion VND (578,000 USD) from the project for personal use. 

During the investigation, Thanh was insincere, evasive and unconvincing. He also fled the country, hindering the investigation process, the indictment said.

The Supreme People’s Procuracy authorised the Hanoi People’s Procuracy to conduct the trial of the case at the municipal People’s Court.-VNA