On the afternoon of 11/9, after a day of deliberation, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Court sentenced Le Thi My Chau, 56, chairwoman of the board of directors of My Chau Pharmacy Group, to 17 years in prison for bribery. This sentence exceeds the prosecution's recommendation of 14 to 15 years.

Also involved in the case, Le Quoc Khang, 44, a singer, received an 18-year sentence, and Le Nguyen Hoang Nam, a former police officer, received an 8-year sentence for fraud.

Defendant Le Thi My Chau at the court. Photo: Hai Duyen

Chau and Nam pleaded not guilty in court. However, the judging council asserted that the documents, evidence in the case file, and testimonies of Khang and related individuals provided sufficient grounds to determine that the indictment against the defendants was accurate and just.

The court found Chau guilty of giving money to Khang to bribe authorities to release her acquaintance, Thai Khac Hoang, who was being held by Ho Chi Minh City police for property appropriation. Chau filed a complaint only after her request was not fulfilled.

The court determined that Khang and Nam had neither the authority nor the connections to fulfill Chau's request but fabricated information to gain her trust and money. Khang, who played the central role in the crime, received a harsher sentence than Nam.

In her final statement, Chau tearfully spoke of building the My Chau pharmacy chain and her social work. "I have been detained for over 11 months and am ill, with difficulty walking. I ask the court to consider my situation so I can return to my work serving society," she said.

Chau was brought to court in a wheelchair that morning.

Defendant Le Quoc Khang at the court. Photo: Hai Duyen

Khang requested leniency, citing his wife's illness and young children, expressing his desire to return to his family and compensate Chau.

Nam maintained his innocence and asked the court to reconsider. "My family has a revolutionary tradition. If I did something wrong, I am ready to take responsibility," Nam said.

The verdict established that in 3/2024, Chau met Khang through an acquaintance. The singer introduced himself as the "nephew of a former deputy prime minister." Believing he had influential connections, on 14/5/2024, Chau asked him to secure Hoang's release so his family could see him.

Khang agreed and contacted Nam, then a police officer in Ward 5, District 10, to arrange the deal. Nam agreed, requiring a 200 million VND contract with a lawyer he designated.

Defendant Le Nguyen Hoang Nam at the court. Photo: Hai Duyen

To gain Chau's trust, Khang guaranteed Hoang's release for 7 billion VND. Between 16/5/2024 and 21/5/2024, he visited Chau's house twice to collect the money. He only gave Nam 480 million VND, keeping the rest for himself. During the investigation, all defendants confessed to their wrongdoing.

However, during questioning, Chau claimed the indictment was inaccurate. She stated the 7 billion VND given to Khang included 1 billion for Hoang's lawyer and 6 billion for restitution, not as a bribe, "because Khang held no official position or authority." She also retracted her previous statements, claiming the investigator had pre-written them and she hadn't read them thoroughly "due to lack of glasses and wanting to speak in court."

Nam denied receiving any money from Khang, claiming he only advised on hiring a lawyer and introduced Chau to an officer named Trung for procedural guidance.

Khang admitted to the charges but claimed he had no intention of misappropriating the funds, only "borrowing" from Chau with the intention of repaying her after selling his assets. During the investigation, Khang claimed he gave Trung 200 million VND as a "thank you," but he retracted this statement in court.

Hai Duyen