On 29/5, the People's Court of District 5, Ho Chi Minh City, reopened the trial concerning the annulment of an unlawful marriage, divorce, and asset dispute between a 54-year-old doctor, the plaintiff and owner of an aesthetic dental chain, and his 48-year-old wife, Ms. Ngoc Anh.
However, the plaintiff was absent without explanation. When the presiding judge requested information regarding his whereabouts, his authorized representative stated that they "did not have information on his situation."
Meanwhile, Ms. Ngoc Anh and her lawyers suggested that "the plaintiff might be working with authorities," citing recent police presence and investigations at several dental clinics managed by him.
The court confirmed it had not received any official information regarding this matter. After a deliberation, the trial panel decided to temporarily suspend the proceedings to verify the plaintiff's reason for absence before continuing to resolve the case.
Last week, nearly 100 police officers from the Ministry of Public Security, in coordination with local police, simultaneously inspected and conducted operations at the clinic system reportedly operated by the plaintiff across multiple provinces and cities.
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The defendant and her lawyers at court today. Photo: Binh Nguyen |
According to court records and proceedings, the husband is seeking an annulment of what he claims is an unlawful marriage. He stated that he initially agreed to marry because he believed his wife was pregnant with his child, but later discovered the child was not biologically related to him.
The doctor also alleged that the marriage registration documents contained several errors, including missing identification papers, an absence of declarations, and a signature in the register that was not his.
He refused to divide common assets, arguing that the marital relationship was not legitimate. However, he offered to give his wife 20% of the asset value "for peace of mind."
In contrast, Ms. Ngoc Anh opposed the request for annulment, asserting that the marriage was entirely voluntary.
According to her testimony, the two met and fell in love during their student years, but their families disapproved. During a period of separation, she became pregnant with another man. Upon learning she was six months pregnant and not yet married to the child's father, the doctor reportedly sought his family's permission to marry her, promising to love both her and the child.
Following this, they both attended marriage counseling, held a wedding ceremony in 10/2001, and officially registered their marriage in 2003.
The husband also agreed to allow her daughter to bear his surname for the birth certificate. The couple lived together for over 20 years, jointly accumulating assets reportedly valued at over 1,200 billion dong, which include numerous real estate properties, bank deposits, and a dental chain comprising 38 facilities.
After one day of trial, the trial panel had initially scheduled to deliver a verdict on 15/5. However, it later decided to suspend the proceedings to further verify documents and evidence, and to address complaints from the involved parties.
Hai Duyen
