Former Minister Kim Tien's appeal for probation to be heard

Former Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, sentenced to 6 years in prison and ordered to pay 108 billion VND in compensation, is scheduled to have her appeal for probation and reduced compensation heard.

The appellate hearing for former Health Minister Nguyen Thi Kim Tien is scheduled for 25-26/9 at the Appellate Court of the Supreme People's Court in Hanoi. Ms. Tien is appealing her 6-year prison sentence and the order to pay 108 billion VND in compensation, seeking a reduced sentence, probation, and a decrease in the compensation amount. Two lawyers have registered to defend her at the hearing.

Ms. Tien's appeal is part of a larger case involving losses and waste at two major hospital projects: Bach Mai Hospital Facility 2 and Viet Duc Hospital Facility 2 in Ninh Binh. Nine other defendants, including former subordinates of Ms. Tien, business owners, and construction contractors, also filed appeals. These individuals were initially sentenced to 3 to 30 years in prison and ordered to pay amounts ranging from one billion to over 223 billion VND; they are seeking reduced sentences and payments.

In May, the initial trial panel assessed this case as a prime example of state asset loss and waste. However, the court also noted that defendants faced significant pressure during project implementation due to the projects' large scale and tight deadlines, with some lacking deep expertise in investment and construction.

Nguyen Thi Kim Tien at the initial trial in May. *Danh Lam*

According to the verdict, Ms. Tien held the 4th highest role in the case. While not directly causing the financial consequences, she made errors in approving plans for selecting design consulting units. These errors were identified as foundational, leading to subsequent violations. She was also found to have received 7,5 billion VND from subordinates, part of a total of 100 billion VND that contractors paid to the Project Management Board.

During the initial trial, the former minister accepted responsibility as the head, acknowledging her fault for urging subordinates and inadvertently creating pressure. She stated her work was driven by "sincere motives", aiming to build a hospital for public use for hundreds of years, though the outcome was not as intended. She testified that she received only 7,5 billion VND from Mr. Thang and Mr. Tuan, disputing their claim of nearly 20 billion VND. She largely admitted to the accusations but expressed concerns regarding the method used to calculate damages.

The debate on damage calculation and compensation responsibility was a central point during the trial's arguments. The People's Procuracy highlighted that the two projects lying "overgrown with weeds" for 10 years clearly demonstrated the waste, depriving thousands of patients of the chance to live.

Bach Mai Hospital Facility 2 began operations at the end of June.