On 15/1, the Investigation Agency of the Supreme People's Procuracy announced it had initiated criminal proceedings and temporarily detained Buong under Article 354, Clause 4 of the Penal Code.

This marks a new development as the investigation agency expands phase one of the bribery and brokering bribes case at the Da Nang High People's Court.

Buong, 60, previously served as deputy chief justice of the Da Nang High People's Court and chief justice of the former Thua Thien Hue Provincial People's Court.

The Da Nang High People's Court is now known as the Appellate Court of the Supreme People's Court in Da Nang.

Nguyen Van Buong during his time as a judge. *Photo: TTXVN*

In phase one, on 24/12/2025, the Hanoi People's Court sentenced Pham Tan Hoang and Pham Viet Cuong, two former deputy chief justices of the Da Nang High People's Court, to 3 and 7 years in prison, respectively, for accepting money to issue biased rulings in seven cases.

Among the 28 defendants in this case were: 10 former judges, provincial court leaders, and former prosecution and civil enforcement officers; three former prosecutors and prosecution staff; two former civil enforcement officers and Civil Judgment Enforcement Agency staff; four lawyers and law office staff; and nine litigants involved in the cases.