On 9/9, the Quang Ninh Provincial Police Investigation Agency indicted six suspects on charges of disturbing public order, under Article 318 of the Penal Code.

Among them, Le Trung Kien was temporarily detained for investigation under Clause 2, Article 318. Ha Thuy Van, Do Thanh Tung (Van’s husband), Nguyen The Manh, and Ha Ngoc Ly were also temporarily detained under Clause 1.

Dang Ngoc Loan, Kien’s wife, was subjected to a ban on leaving her residence and a temporary travel prohibition.

The group's assault on the driver was captured by camera. Photo: Screenshot

According to the investigation, at approximately 21h30 on 29/8, Van’s group of seven people arrived at Lin Lounge79 in Xuan Lan street, Mong Cai 1 ward, where they drank beer and listened to music.

Around 2h20 the next day, the group left. Van, Tung, Ly, and Trang hailed a taxi driven by Nguyen Tien Dat, 28, residing in Kien Minh commune, TP Hai Phong.

As the taxi began to move, Van demanded that the driver return to pick up additional members of their group. Dat refused, explaining that the vehicle was only permitted to carry a maximum of four passengers, which led to an argument.

Police reported that while the taxi was in motion, Van pulled Dat’s hair. Van, Ly, and Trang repeatedly slapped the driver’s face. Tung punched his head, and Trang struck Dat’s chest with a slipper.

Under attack, Dat shouted “robbery, robbery”, opened the car door, and ran towards Lin Lounge79 to escape. Van’s group pursued him.

At this point, Kien and his wife, who were in a taxi behind, saw their friends chasing the driver and joined the assault. Hearing someone accuse Dat of harassment, Kien used a traditional pipe wrapped in a leather pouch to strike the driver’s head. Loan then hit Dat’s nape with a phone and kicked his face multiple times, causing him to collapse on the street.

Van then pulled Dat to his feet, allowing Kien to kick him in the face. Van, Ly, and Trang continued to corner the driver in the lounge corridor and assault him.

When residents and lounge staff intervened, some members of the group allegedly attacked those attempting to break up the fight, as well as an individual who identified as Dat’s relative. Dat was subsequently taken by colleagues to Mong Cai Regional General Hospital for emergency treatment. On the morning of 30/8, Dat’s father reported the incident to Mong Cai 1 Ward Police.

Le Tan