Tran Van Tam, 54, the former principal of Tam Giang Tay Secondary School, arrived home in Phan Ngoc Hien commune on the night of 16/8 after being released on bail by Ca Mau provincial police. "I am grateful to my wife and relatives who have endured many hardships over the past year because of my case," he shared. That night, he received dozens of calls from colleagues, students, and acquaintances offering encouragement.

Tam was detained on 15/8/2024, accused of embezzling 10.7 million VND while personally purchasing materials to make equipment for the school. The initial trial in February concluded that he paid less for materials and labor than the amount invoiced, with the difference of approximately 10.7 million VND considered embezzlement. The court sentenced him to 7 years in prison for embezzlement and banned him from holding office for 2 years after his release.

However, in May, the Ca Mau Provincial People's Court overturned the entire initial verdict due to procedural violations and insufficient grounds to convict Tam. After more than 3 months of re-investigation, the police released Tam on bail.

Tran Van Tam at his home in Phan Ngoc Hien commune, Ca Mau province. Photo: Chuc Ly

Tran Van Tam at his home in Phan Ngoc Hien commune, Ca Mau province. Photo: Chuc Ly

'I thought I was only benefiting the school'

The former principal said he reflected a lot during his year in detention. He and his family suffered a great loss. It was all because he focused on creating good products for the school but failed to fully declare expenses and understand financial regulations.

In 2022, newly appointed as principal and without a vice-principal, Tam proposed purchasing equipment, then decided to make it himself to save costs, as the school lacked teaching equipment.

Skilled in welding, he purchased materials to create filing cabinets and TV stands. For accounting, he consulted external establishments to obtain invoices for finished products to formalize the procedures.

Recalling his arrest, Tam said he was "very surprised". "I didn't think it was a violation, as my only intention was to benefit the school, not to pocket the money. I only realized it was wrong when working with the investigators," he shared.

According to Tam, this equipment was not readily available, and custom orders were expensive. After completion, surplus materials were used to make additional equipment, and the extra money was used for school activities.

The former principal expressed his hope that the prosecution would be understanding and consider his actions as a violation of financial regulations rather than a criminal offense. "If given the opportunity, I still wish to contribute to the education sector after more than 30 years of dedication," he said.

Colleagues 'don't believe Tam embezzled'

Ma Van Dot, vice-principal of Tam Giang Tay Secondary School, described Tam as multi-talented, professionally competent, and enthusiastic. Some of the items Tam made are still in use at the school.

"Everyone was surprised to hear about his 7-year sentence; no one ever thought he would embezzle. The products he made are still in good condition and won't break for another 10 years," Dot said.

Previously, speaking to VnExpress, many of Tam's colleagues were reserved but said he was hardworking and responsible towards his work, family, and society.

Le Xuan Hung, former head of the Ngoc Hien (former) District Department of Education and Training, described Tam as frank and decisive, a capable and responsible teacher who was very passionate about his profession.

Some items made by Tran Van Tam are currently in use at the school. Photo: Minh Minh

Some items made by Tran Van Tam are currently in use at the school. Photo: Minh Minh

According to the case file, during the 2022-2023 school year, noticing a shortage of teaching equipment, Tam held a meeting with the school's pedagogical council and agreed to procure equipment.

The investigation determined that on 29/12/2022, Tam approved an 11 million VND expenditure based on a business invoice. This amount included 5.5 million VND of Tam's personal debt for materials. About 10 days later, he repaid the business over 1.2 million VND from his personal funds. The police determined that Tam misappropriated nearly 4.3 million VND.

On the same day, he approved the purchase of a metal stepladder for over 1.8 million VND. He contacted a business to obtain an invoice for this amount. The investigation determined that Tam misappropriated over 6.1 million VND and then spent over 2.3 million VND on paint to repair a flower bed – effectively misappropriating the remaining over 3.8 million VND.

On 15/3/2023, he approved two more invoices totaling 6.9 million VND for two TV stands. Prior to this, he had gone to two other companies to obtain invoices, and the school accountant processed the payment based on these invoices.

In both trials, Tam admitted to using false invoices, a legal violation, but insisted he had no intention of embezzling. He said he used materials and put in his own labor to save the school money. The products, such as filing cabinets, TV stands, metal ladders, and bulletin boards, are real and currently in use at the school. He did not use the over 10 million VND he received for personal gain but for collective activities.

When overturning the verdict for re-investigation, the Ca Mau Provincial People's Court noted that Tam had purchased materials to make the equipment. The embezzlement charge, based solely on his admission of using invoices for non-existent goods, was insufficient and unconvincing.

According to the appellate court, the investigators must assess the value of all the products Tam made and compare it to the amount the school disbursed, including materials and labor costs. Additionally, several items were not appraised, school representatives were not involved in the proceedings, and the actual damage and intended use of the allegedly misappropriated funds were not verified.

On 16/8, the Regional People's Procuracy 5 decided to replace detention with bail for Tam. This decision followed a request from the Ca Mau Provincial Police Investigation Agency, considering that the defendant had paid restitution, had a good personal history and a clear address, his family had submitted a bail application, and detention was unnecessary.

Chuc Ly