Can Tho City People’s Procuracy has dismissed the ‘slush fund’ case against Tran Ngoc Suong, former head of the Song Hau Farm, according to a recent decision.
Under the provision of the Decision No.25 signed by Ho Thanh Long, head of Can Tho City People’s Procuracy, any activities of the proceedings against the defendant who has previously been allegedly “setting up an illegal fund will also be dismissed from the date of signing, January 17.

Considering historical circumstances of the fund establishment and the extenuating circumstances, including the contribution of Tran Ngoc Suong, nicknamed Ba Suong, and her family to Can Tho City, she is exempted from criminal prosecution under Vietnam’s Penal Code, said Long.

In August last year, the Vietnam Fatherland Front has urged the Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Procuracy to treat the case against a former head of the Song Hau Farm for “setting up an illegal fund” as an administrative lapse rather than a crime.

Suong had been sentenced to eight years in prison in 2008 for running a “slush fund” at the farm worth VND10.1 billion (US$483,000).

The 63-year-old was also ordered to pay VND4.3 billion in restitution to the government, with the Can Tho City People’s Court finding her guilty of ordering her employees to misuse the off-the-books fund during her tenure as director from 2001 to 2007.

She then appealed saying the fund was actually a welfare fund for the collective, used to help members in financial need.

But it was rejected by the appeal court in November 2009 and Suong then appealed to the Supreme People’s Court.

The Song Hau farm was once viewed as a successful model for agricultural development. Suong herself won the Asia Pacific Impressive Woman Award in 2002 and Vietnam’s Labour Hero award in 1999.

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