On 22/9, at the Nghe An Provincial People's Court, the Hanoi High People's Court opened an appellate hearing to review Hao's appeal. The 43-year-old was sentenced to 6 years in prison for "Violation of regulations on road traffic participation", according to Article 260 of the Criminal Code. This is a 2-year reduction from his original 8-year sentence.
According to the judging panel, after causing the accident, Hao actively cooperated with the investigation and his family paid a total of 1.5 billion VND in compensation to the victims' families. The victims' families also submitted a petition for a reduced sentence. These factors led the appellate court to reduce his punishment.
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Defendant Hao at the first-instance trial in June. Photo: Hung Le |
Defendant Hao at the first-instance trial in June. Photo: Hung Le
Addressing the court, Hao admitted his guilt and expressed remorse. He explained his difficult circumstances: his parents are deceased, and he is the sole provider for four young children. Recently, his family also suffered significant losses due to Typhoon Kajiki. Hao pleaded for leniency to return to his family sooner.
Following the 8-year sentence at the first-instance trial, Hao appealed for a reduction.
According to the indictment, on 12/1, Hao was driving a truck from Tuong Duong district to Ky Son district to purchase dong leaves for resale. At around 5 PM that day, while driving on Provincial Road 543D (section of Tham Hin village, Nam Can commune, Ky Son district), Hao drove downhill without shifting to a lower gear for safety. He left the vehicle in neutral, released the handbrake, and allowed the truck to roll freely, gaining speed due to the steep slope and sharp curve.
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The scene of the accident on 12/1 in Nam Can commune, Ky Son district. Photo: Hung Le |
The scene of the accident on 12/1 in Nam Can commune, Ky Son district. Photo: Hung Le
Authorities stated that Hao lost control of the speed and couldn't react in time, causing the truck to cross into the opposite lane and crash directly into the house of Va Ba Do, 29. At the time, Do's mother, sister-in-law, and nieces and nephews aged 3 to 8 were inside.
Do's mother and sister-in-law, along with four of his nieces and nephews (children of his brother and younger brother), died at the scene. Significant property damage also occurred inside the house. After the accident, Hao turned himself in to the police.
Duc Hung
