VietNamNet Bridge – Mr. Le Ngoc Minh, former deputy head of the Vietnam Cinema Agency, has been prosecuted for his involvement in the loss of VND42 billion ($2 million) at the Vietnam Cinema Agency.
Minh is charged for “being irresponsible, causing serious consequences.” Some others are also prosecuted for the same charge, including the former chief accountant of the Vietnam Cinema Agency and two accountants of the State Treasury of Ba Dinh district, Hanoi.

However, some people question that why only Minh is prosecuted, not Mr. Lai Van Sinh, former chief of the Vietnam Cinema Agency.

According to investigators, accountant Pham Thanh Hai, 34, forged documents and misappropriated VND42 billion (US$2 billion) from the Vietnam Cinema Agency’s account at the Ba Dinh District State Treasury during 2009-2011.

Hai was just a staff member of the agency’s finance and accounting division, but authorized to withdraw money from banks when the chief accountant was absent.

He is suspected to have fled overseas.

Minh and Sinh were forced to step down following strong protests from the movie industry about the misappropriation.

Industry influential people have hinted of corruption and a cover-up by the two since the embezzlement had gone on for three years, but the duo claimed to know nothing about it.

Hoang Vy