The Hanoi People's Court on 24/4 opened the third trial session for Cao Van Hung, 52, residing in Dong Ngac ward. He faces charges of murder and property destruction following an arson attack on a karaoke bar that killed 11 people and destroyed numerous cars, motorbikes, and goods.
In previous sessions, Hung reportedly "lost his faculties", refusing to answer any questions from the judge or lawyers.
The defendant was sentenced to 6 years in prison in 1998 for robbery and 15 months in prison in 2005 for theft.
 |
Cao Van Hung in court on 24/4. Photo: Danh Lam |
During the trials, victims or their representatives demanded that Hung compensate for material damages, emotional distress, and provide for the elderly parents or young children of those who died. However, the defendant has yet to apologize or offer any compensation.
This session was again adjourned to allow representatives of the deceased victims to provide additional relevant documents and files. The date for the resumption of the trial has not yet been announced.
The deadly incident stemmed from an "eat and run" dispute.
The People's Procuracy of Hanoi determined that around November 2024, defendant Hung consumed one can of beer and one pack of cigarettes at a bar on Pham Van Dong street, incurring a bill of 55,000 VND, but refused to pay. An unidentified customer approached him, questioned his refusal, and slapped him, telling him to pay properly when dining out in the future.
Around 9:17 PM on 18/12/2024, Hung returned to the bar alone. He ordered one bottle of beer and one pack of cigarettes, then provoked a staff member. At this point, one customer advised him to leave, while another began to assault him, stopping only when intervened.
The defendant then bought 6 liters of gasoline, poured it into a bucket, returned to the bar, doused the glass door and entrance area, and ignited it.
The arson resulted in 11 customer fatalities and 4 people suffering burns. Significant property damage occurred within the bar, including 8 motorbikes, one car, and 7,184 machines, equipment, and components belonging to an adjacent company, all completely destroyed. The total estimated damage exceeds 2.6 billion VND.
The customer who assaulted Hung has since died, so investigative authorities are not pursuing charges related to that incident.
During the investigation, the bar owner provided 5 million VND to each family of the deceased customers, 30 million VND to the family of the male staff member who died, and 10 million VND to the female staff member who suffered burns.
Currently, the families of the deceased victims are seeking 250-475 million VND in compensation from the defendant, along with child support until their children reach adulthood. Among the five injured individuals, two have not requested compensation, while the three others are seeking 5-70 million VND.
Hai Thu
