Hà Nội People’s Court opens trial on agriculture ex-director

HÀ NỘI — The Hà Nội People’s Court on Wednesday opened proceedings in the case of ex-deputy director of the city’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, Phạm Minh Nguyệt, and five others accused of violations in economic management.

Nguyệt and Nguyễn Thị Huyền Hảo, the former chief accountant of the Hà Nội Investment and Development Ltd Company (HADICO), Đỗ Văn Hảo, ex-general director of HADICO, Đặng Thị Thanh Tâm, former director of the Từ Liêm Tourism and Fruit Enterprise, Dương Thị Chinh, former accountant of the Từ Liêm enterprise and Nguyễn Trọng Hùng, former director of the Bắc Hà enterprise under the HADICO, were accused of property embezzlement, abusing their position while performing their duties and deliberately violating State rules in economic management resulting in losses of more than VNĐ40 billion (US$1.8 million).

Among the six accused, Nguyệt and Huyền Hảo may face the highest penalties including the death sentences if found guilty of property embezzlement and abusing their position, while the four others were charged for wrongdoings during performing their duties including abusing their position and financial management.

The hearing is scheduled to take place from December 6-8.

Nine lawyers are defending the accused.

According to the indictment, from late 2009 to 2014, Nguyệt ordered Huyền Hảo and other subordinate officials under his power including directors of member enterprises to set up false documents to withdraw money from HADICO’s production and market stablising funds. The money was supposedly delivered to him.

The total amount of money withdrawn from the company to transfer to Nguyệt exceeded VNĐ40 billion by 2014.

To hide the fraud, Nguyệt allegedly instructed his subordinates to sign a bank loan contract worth VNĐ19 billion so he could pay the money back to the HADICO and then used his own money to refund nearly VNĐ26 billion to the company.

The procuracy accused Nguyệt of embezzling nearly VNĐ15 billion from HADICO, which his family has completely compensated.

HADICO still lost more than VNĐ1.8 billion, mostly interest arising from the bank’s VNĐ19 billion loans, according to the indictment. — Quang