The verdict was announced this morning by the Appellate Court of the Supreme People's Court in Ha Noi. The trial panel stated that during the appellate session, defendant Nguyen Duy Hung, chairman of Thuan An Group, submitted an additional 47 billion VND, thereby fully rectifying the consequences of the case.

Other defendants, who had received appropriate sentences from the Ha Noi People's Court, contributed an additional 50-500 million VND at the appellate level, actively helping to mitigate all damages from the case. Many defendants had outstanding work achievements, did not benefit or benefited minimally, and played secondary roles.

Pham Thai Ha at the first-instance trial in 9/2025. *Photo: Pham Du*

After the first-instance trial in September, 17 individuals appealed for reduced sentences or suspended sentences. However, before the appellate hearing, Pham Thai Ha and two others unexpectedly withdrew their appeals. Nevertheless, relatives of these three defendants were still present at the court, submitting additional funds for damages and presenting their circumstances and achievements, hoping for leniency from the trial panel.

In court, his wife presented medical records indicating multiple chronic illnesses and highlighted the family's contributions.

Additionally, Le O Pich, former vice chairman of Bac Giang Provincial People's Committee, had his family present further documents regarding his achievements and family circumstances. The court assessed that Pich, as a deputy, played a secondary role, acted at the direction of superiors, and had additional mitigating circumstances.

The appellate level therefore accepted the appeals of the 14 individuals who filed them, and simultaneously reduced the sentences for 8 individuals who did not appeal, including Ha and Pich.

In this case, Ha was the only one convicted of abusing his position and power to influence others for personal gain. Le O Pich was also the only one convicted of abusing his position and power while on duty. The remaining defendants were all prosecuted for violating bidding regulations, causing serious consequences.

The People's Procuracy determined that the consequences of the case had been fully rectified by the owner of Thuan An, and proposed that the court accept the appeals of those who appealed and also reduce the sentences for the 8 individuals who did not appeal, including Ha and Pich, by 6-9 months each.

The appellate court determined that the owner of Thuan An leveraged close relationships with certain individuals who were "senior leaders of state agencies" during the bidding, winning, and execution of projects in Bac Giang, Tuyen Quang, Quang Ninh, Ha Noi, and the Ministry of Transport.

Specifically, Hung asked Pham Thai Ha to introduce, intervene, and influence provincial leaders and the Ministry of Transport to facilitate Thuan An Group winning bids and executing projects.

After the "path was cleared", Hung directly met with and asked leaders of provincial Party committees, provincial People's Committees, and unit leaders under the Ministry of Transport to direct their subordinates to create favorable conditions for Thuan An to win bids.

However, after winning bids, Hung had other companies work with the Project Management Board to form joint ventures, then colluded and conspired to participate from the survey, design, technical, and cost estimation phases. This was bid rigging to secure contracts.

The former chairman of Thuan An was also accused of agreeing to pay a percentage of "mechanism" money to individuals responsible for directing and implementing bid packages and projects, ranging from hundreds of millions to billions of VND. Consequently, these individuals directed their subordinates and coordinated to carry out acts contrary to bidding laws.

To secure funds for bribes, Hung collected differential fees from construction units and material suppliers totaling 9,3 billion VND, which was included in acceptance documents and paid by the investor, thereby calculated as damages.

The violations by Hung and his accomplices caused damages to state assets exceeding 120 billion VND.

Nguyen Duy Hung, former chairman of Thuan An Group's Board of Directors, at the appellate hearing on the morning of 18/12. *Photo: Danh Lam*

Ha was accused of agreeing to help and introduce Hung, leveraging his close relationship, to facilitate Thuan An's participation in a project in Bac Giang. In late 12/2021, during a meal with the Standing Committee of the Bac Giang Provincial Party Committee at the National Assembly Chairman's residence, Ha introduced Hung to the Bac Giang Party Secretary.

The first-instance verdict stated that Ha's introduction and influence "created favorable conditions for Thuan An to win bids", indirectly leading to individuals at the Bac Giang Project Management Board, along with the design unit and Thuan An, colluding and conspiring to secure contracts.

After Thuan An won the bid, Hung visited Ha's home and gave him 500 million VND as a thank-you. Additionally, on holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year), Hung repeatedly gave Ha more money, totaling 250 million VND.

*Thanh Lam*