VietNamNet Bridge – The northern mountainous province of Dien Bien's People's Court yesterday, Jan 17, wrapped up the trial of eight former officials accused of corrupt practices during the construction of the Dien Bien Phu Victory Monument.

The eight were accused of embezzling VND8.3 billion (US$415,000) from the construction of the VND49 billion ($2.45 million) project by using substandard and inadequate amounts of materials.

The court sentenced Luong Phuong Cac, former deputy director of the provincial Department of Culture and Information, and Le Van Vien, former deputy director of the project management board, to 44 months' imprisonment for embezzling public property.

The other defendants included Tran Quoc Hung, former accountant of the project management board; Nguyen Duc Sung, former head of the Industrial Design Faculty of the Ha Noi University of Industrial Fine Arts; Vo Thi Hong, former director of the Central Fine Arts Company; and Nguyen Trong Hanh, former deputy director of the Doan Ket Company Limited, who were jailed from 24 to 43 months for embezzlement and abuse of power.

Le Huyen, former rector of the Ha Noi University of Industrial Fine Arts, received a warning due to a lack of responsibility which had serious consequences.

Defendant Nguyen Van Chinh, technical official of the project, was exempt from criminal liability for deliberate violation of economic management regulations.

The monument was part of a project to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory (May 7th, 1954 – May 7th, 2004).

The statue was completed in 2004. However, it soon developed cracks and began rusting, and rapid deterioration, prompting authorities to launch an investigation.

According to the Ministry of Public Security's Criminal Science Institute, some 97 tonnes of bronze was missing from the invoiced total, worth VND2.7 billion ($135,000).

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News