The Investigation Police Agency under the Ministry of Public Security has issued its investigation conclusion in a case involving alleged violations of regulations on the management and use of state assets causing loss and waste; fraud in property appropriation; and bribery, occurring at the Ministry of Health and related units.

Accordingly, the agency has proposed prosecuting Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, born in 1959, former Minister of Health, for the offense of “Violating regulations on the management and use of state assets causing loss and waste,” under Clause 3, Article 219 of the Penal Code.

Also proposed for prosecution on the same charge are six other defendants, including Nguyen Kim Trung, born in 1960, former Deputy Director of the Key Medical Projects Management Board and former Deputy Director General of the Department of Medical Equipment and Health Works under the Ministry of Health; Tran Van Sinh, born in 1974, former Deputy Director of the Specialized Medical Construction Projects Management Board under the Ministry of Health; and Dao Xuan Sinh, born in 1976, former Director of SHT Investment Consultancy and Construction JSC, among others.

Two defendants are proposed for prosecution on two charges - “Violating regulations on the management and use of state assets causing loss and waste” and “Receiving bribes.” They are Nguyen Chien Thang, born in 1957, former Director of the Key Medical Projects Management Board under the Ministry of Health, and Nguyen Huu Tuan, born in 1970, former Director of the Specialized Medical Construction Projects Management Board and concurrently in charge of managing and operating the Key Medical Projects Management Board.

The investigative agency has also proposed prosecuting one defendant for “Fraudulent appropriation of property” - Le Thanh Thiem, born in 1968, Director of Sao Nam Song Hong Co., Ltd. This defendant had previously been sentenced to three years in prison, suspended, for the offense of “Receiving bribes.”

According to the investigation conclusion, the hiring of foreign consultants to prepare project dossiers, technical designs and construction drawing designs for two projects - the construction of the second campus of Bach Mai Hospital and the construction of the second campus of Viet Duc Friendship Hospital - was carried out without approval from the Prime Minister.

Despite the absence of such approval, Nguyen Chien Thang signed submissions requesting Nguyen Thi Kim Tien to sign decisions permitting the hiring of foreign consultants to prepare the two projects and to approve plans for selecting architectural design options.

Based on the approved architectural designs for the two projects, Nguyen Chien Thang directed Nguyen Kim Trung, Nguyen Huu Tuan and Tran Van Sinh to complete and legitimize documents for contractor appointment in violation of legal regulations. As a result, the joint venture VK Studio - Institute of Medical Equipment carried out the corresponding bidding packages and coordinated with Dao Xuan Sinh to finalize and legitimize documents for the appointment of related bidding packages.

The actions of Nguyen Thi Kim Tien and the related defendants are alleged to have caused state asset losses exceeding VND70.2 billion (approximately US$2.9 million).

An Ninh Thu Do