VietNamNet Bridge – The Ha Noi People's Court last week sentenced Bui Quoc Anh, former deputy general director of the Viet Nam National Shipping Lines (Vinalines), to three years in prison for "abusing power while on duty".

The three-day trial also sentenced four other defendants in the embezzlement case of the Bien Dong Shipping Company Limited (BISCO), a subsidiary of Vinalines, for abusing their positions and power to buy five old ships from Tan Minh Nguyet Company with fake documents, causing a loss of VND4.8 billion (US$228,500), to the State budget in 2006.

Bui Quoc Anh, 55, who is former general director of BISCO, got a three-year sentence as he neither checked the legal status of the buyer, nor did he negotiate and notify the company's relevant unit about the contract when he signed it.

Hoang Gia Hiep, 42, former director of the Viet Nam Shipbuilding Finance Company, has been sentenced to three years in prison for embezzlement.

Hiep was accused of abusing his power to sign the contracts and appropriated VND50 million ($2,380). He was earlier given a 13-year sentence on charges of "intentionally violating the provisions of the State in economic management, causing serious consequences" in the Vinashin case.

For the same offence with Anh, Ngo Van Nhuan, 44, who is former deputy chief auditor of the State Auditor Zone 7, has got three years in prison; former deputy director of BISCO Do Thi Bich Thuy, 52, has got a 30-month suspended sentence and BISCO's former treasurer Nguyen Thi Le Thuy, 37, has got a two-year suspended sentence.

Source: VNS