On 24/7, Chanh was sentenced by the Dong Nai Provincial People's Court to two years in prison for violating land management regulations, after a week-long trial. This sentence is lighter than the 3-4 years recommended by the People's Procuracy.
Chanh was released on bail and absent from the sentencing, represented only by his lawyer.
According to the judging council, Chanh, as the vice chairman of the Provincial People's Committee in 2017, was in charge of land management. However, he failed to direct land reclamation as required and did not instruct relevant agencies and departments to comply with the law. Instead, he approved the illegal transfer of land use rights.
This act was determined to be socially dangerous, violating the State's economic and land management interests. It facilitated other defendants in misappropriating funds, causing budget losses, and eroding public trust in management agencies. Therefore, strict handling is necessary for deterrence and education. However, the court also acknowledged Chanh's mitigating circumstances, such as directing the recovery of assets and remedying the consequences after the incident was discovered. He also confessed truthfully, showed remorse, and made significant contributions to Dong Nai province in the field of land management. He is also the child of a martyr.
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Vo Van Chanh at the first-instance trial. Photo: Thai Ha |
Vo Van Chanh at the first-instance trial. Photo: Thai Ha
According to the indictment, in 1995, the Prime Minister signed a decision allowing Kia - Hoang Hung Ceramics Co., Ltd. (a joint venture between Huy Hoang Garment Construction Joint Stock Company and Beneficial Asia Limited) to lease nearly 9 hectares of land in Tam Phuoc commune, Long Thanh district (now Tam Phuoc ward) to build a ceramic factory. When the business failed to implement the project, the Dong Nai Provincial People's Committee revoked the investment license but did not reclaim the land (because the land had not been granted ownership rights), leaving the company with full usage rights.
In 2015, Truong Quoc Tuan, as director of Phuoc Thai Company, sent an official dispatch to the Provincial People's Committee, proposing to adjust the planning of this land from industrial to commercial residential. Tuan signed a contract with Huy Hoang Garment Construction Joint Stock Company, agreeing to compensate for the land and assets on the land for more than 35 billion VND to receive the transfer.
To legitimize the transaction, Tuan requested the transferor, Huy Hoang Company, to submit a written request to the Provincial People's Committee. This request required the company to sign a land handover record to Nguyen Huu Thanh (brother of Nguyen Van Duc, then vice chairman of Tam Phuoc Commune People's Committee) as the owner to receive compensation.
On 10/12/2015, following Phuoc Thai Company's proposal, a document was sent to the Dong Nai Provincial People's Committee, requesting consideration and approval for Huy Hoang Company to hand over the nearly 9-hectare land to Nguyen Huu Thanh for enhanced land use and management.
Upon receiving Huy Hoang Company's proposal, Dinh Quoc Thai, chairman of the Dong Nai Provincial People's Committee, assigned Vo Van Chanh, then vice chairman of the province, to review and handle the matter. Chanh subsequently endorsed: "Agree in principle, assign the Department of Natural Resources and Environment to propose procedures according to the decision."
On 26/6/2017, Chanh signed the decision to allocate and lease nearly 9 hectares of land to Phuoc Thai Company for the Phuoc Thai commercial residential project. To receive compensation from the State, Tuan opened a bank account for Nguyen Huu Thanh, receiving over 77 billion VND. This amount was then transferred to Phuoc Thai Company's account, and a savings book was opened in Tuan's wife's name.
After receiving a complaint about the irregular compensation, support, and resettlement for Nguyen Huu Thanh, Chanh directed specialized agencies and the Bien Hoa City People's Committee to cancel the compensation and support for Nguyen Huu Thanh and recover the entire amount of improperly disbursed compensation.
On 20/11/2017, Chanh signed the decision to implement the Phuoc Thai project and approved the compensation plan with a total value of over 45 billion VND. He then signed a document approving the allocation and lease of land for Phuoc Thai Company to carry out the project.
The indictment stated that Chanh, in charge of Natural Resources and Environment, upon receiving the proposal from Huy Hoang Company, did not request a review by advisory or specialized units. As a result, he failed to detect the illegality of the company's handover of 9 hectares of land to Nguyen Huu Thanh, causing a loss of nearly 79 billion VND to the State.
At the trial seven days prior, Chanh admitted his wrongdoing, stating that he had made mistakes during his work and that the two-year-long case had caused him great distress. "My violation has affected the State, my family, and my relatives, so I am very remorseful. This is not only a lesson for me but also for future generations. I acknowledge my wrongdoings and mistakes and ask the judging council to take them into account," Chanh said.
Related to this case, Tuan and 12 other defendants were previously sentenced to 4 to 9 years in prison for violating regulations on compensation, support, and resettlement when the State recovers land.
Phuoc Tuan
