Last week, Nguyen Thi Kim Tien was tried for violating state asset management and use regulations, causing losses and waste. The Procuracy recommended 5 to 6 years in prison and requested she pay 108 billion VND to compensate for damages. The court noted that her son paid 24,5 billion VND on her behalf.
Among the remaining 8 defendants, two former directors of the Ministry of Health's key medical project management board—the investor for both hospitals—were prosecuted for two crimes: violating state asset management and use regulations, causing losses and waste, and bribery. Nguyen Chien Thang faces a recommended sentence of 30 years in prison and 394 billion VND in restitution, while Nguyen Huu Tuan faces 23 to 25 years and 223 billion VND in restitution.
The Procuracy determined that the violations occurred during the investment and construction projects for Bach Mai Hospital - facility 2 and Viet Duc Friendship Hospital. These projects were approved in 2014 with a total investment of nearly 10 trillion VND. The violations spanned the entire process, from selecting foreign design consultants and preparing bidding documents to conducting bidding, direct contracting, and construction.
Thang reportedly collaborated with businesses, agreeing to facilitate their winning bids. According to the indictment, after receiving advance payments or settlements, contractors were required to pay the project management board an amount equivalent to 5% of the pre-tax value. Consequently, Thang received nearly 88,5 billion VND from contractors. His successor, Tuan, continued this established practice, receiving a total of over 12 billion VND. The defendants claimed the money was used for various purposes and distributed to different individuals, but their testimonies remain inconsistent.
Thang testified that the incorrect selection of a consulting unit stemmed from a suggestion by Minister Kim Tien. He stated that throughout the project, he and his colleagues worked under rushed conditions, with a large project scope and numerous complex regulations, leading him to make errors unknowingly. However, the court rejected this testimony. Regarding the 88 billion VND received, he claimed contractors brought the money voluntarily, but he personally only kept 475 million VND, distributing the rest to many others without proof.
Kim Tien accepted responsibility as minister, admitting fault for urging subordinates and inadvertently creating pressure. She asserted that her actions were driven by pure motives, envisioning a hospital that would serve the public for hundreds of years, but the outcome was not as intended. She stated that she only received 7,5 billion VND from Thang and Tuan, not nearly 20 billion VND as they claimed. While she largely admitted to the charges, she expressed concerns about the method used to calculate the damages.
During the debate, the calculation of damages and the question, "If it's not a corruption case, why is compensation still required?" were raised. However, the Procuracy argued that the projects, which have been "overgrown with weeds" for 10 years, serve as the clearest evidence of waste, depriving thousands of patients of their chance at life.
Thanh Lam
