The Supreme People's Court of Appeals in Ho Chi Minh City will review Vo Trung Dung's appeal for a reduced 12-year sentence on September 5th. Dung, a former land-use official in Tan Binh district's Ward 5, was convicted for his role in the scandal.

Pham Thai Hoc, 58, the primary actor in the scheme, is also appealing his 12-year and 6-month sentence for fraud.

Other defendants include Nguyen Van Thuyet, the former director of the Land Registration Office branch, and Tran Van Tam, the former head of the district's Department of Natural Resources and Environment. Both are appealing their 3-year sentences for violating state property management regulations.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Thanh Lam, former vice chairman of Ward 5’s People's Committee, maintains his innocence and is appealing his 6-year sentence. Three other officials have accepted sentences ranging from 4 to 4 years and 6 months for the same charge.

The defendants at the first-instance trial. Photo: Binh Nguyen

The defendants at the first-instance trial. Photo: Binh Nguyen

The initial trial found that the property at 318/82 Pham Van Hai street, Ward 5, initially belonged to a man named Nho. After his family emigrated in 1994, the house was declared "abandoned property." Ho Chi Minh City authorities then classified it as state-owned and assigned its management to Tan Binh district, specifically the district's Public Service Company.

In 2018, Pham Thai Hoc, wanting to purchase the property, enlisted Vo Trung Dung's help with the process. Dung then contacted Nho's family, negotiating the purchase and subsequently initiating the paperwork for a property certificate.

Prosecutors determined that Dung fabricated documents about the property's origin and guided Hoc in filing a fraudulent declaration to obtain the certificate. Dung then processed the incomplete and ineligible application, bypassing the required rejection process.

Based on Hoc's application, endorsed by Dung, Vice Chairman Nguyen Thanh Lam signed off on the "application components." The file then proceeded to the relevant land management authorities: the Land Registration Office branch and the district's Department of Natural Resources and Environment for further signatures and submission to the district People's Committee for certificate issuance.

Despite inconsistencies in property data within the system, Nguyen Van Thuyet and Tran Van Tam failed to initiate proper verification. They proceeded with the incomplete and improperly authenticated documents, signing off on the certificate's eligibility and recommending its issuance to Hoc.

After receiving the property ownership certificate, Hoc rebuilt the house and used it as collateral for a bank loan, resulting in a loss of over 14 billion VND to the state.

Nguyen Thanh Lam (second from right), former vice chairman of Ward 5's People's Committee, has maintained his innocence since the charges were filed. Photo: Binh Nguyen

Nguyen Thanh Lam (second from right), former vice chairman of Ward 5's People's Committee, has maintained his innocence since the charges were filed. Photo: Binh Nguyen

Why is the former vice chairman claiming innocence?

During the initial trial in December 2024, while other defendants admitted guilt and sought leniency, Nguyen Thanh Lam maintained his innocence. Lam explained that his prior responsibilities were with the military command, and he only transitioned to the role of vice chairman in November 2015. He wasn't assigned to oversee land management—including construction, urban infrastructure, fire prevention, and property document verification—until mid-2016. He was not provided with an inventory of public assets, relying instead on his predecessor's documents and the general management system.

Ten years after Ho Chi Minh City authorities established ownership of the property, in 2004, Tan Binh district issued a decision to reclaim and transfer its management to the Urban Management Department and the Urban Transport Service Company (now the district's Public Service Company). This decision designated the head of the district's Urban Order Management Team and the chairman of Ward 5’s People's Committee as responsible for its implementation.

While previous chairmen received the list of public assets, Lam did not when he assumed the vice chairman role. Regulations stipulate that the chairman, not the vice chairman, of the ward is responsible for this list.

Therefore, on June 5th, 2018, when Dung presented the application for a first-time land-use certificate for the property in Hoc's name, Lam signed the "Confirmation of Ward 5’s People's Committee" form. He argued that his signature was merely procedural, confirming receipt of the application and the property’s usage history, not its ownership status. "This document doesn't request or propose the issuance of a property certificate. The application requires review by specialized district agencies, including the Land Registration Office and the Department of Natural Resources and Environment," Lam stated in his appeal.

Lam maintains that since he wasn't responsible for managing the property, he couldn't be held accountable for the state's financial loss.

Hai Duyen