A view of the appeal court hearing in Hà Nội for the repatriation flight scandal. — VNA/VNS Photo Phạm Kiên

HÀ NỘI — The High-level People's Court in Hà Nội rejected the appeal and upheld the sentence of life imprisonment handed down at the first-instance trial for three defendants in the “repatriation flights” case on Wednesday during an appeal trial that began this week.

The three defendants – Phạm Trung Kiên, a former official at the Ministry of Health; Nguyễn Thị Hương Lan, former director of the Consular Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Vũ Anh Tuấn, former officer of the Immigration Department at the Ministry of Public Security – were imprisoned for life on the charge of taking bribes. 

The court also kept unchanged the prison sentences for Vũ Sỹ Cường, former officer of the Immigration Department at the Ministry of Public Security; Trần Minh Tuấn, director of Thái Hoà Company; and Phạm Bích Hằng, deputy director of International Tourism Co., Ltd, at 20 months.

The court reduced the sentences for Tô Anh Dũng, former deputy minister of Foreign Affairs (from the initial 16 years in jail down to 14 years); Đỗ Hoàng Tùng, former deputy director of the Consular Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (from 12 years down to 10 years); and Trần Văn Tân, former deputy chairman of the People’s Committee of Quảng Nam Province (from six years down to five years).

A group of defendants charged with “giving bribes”, including executives of many businesses, also had their prison terms reduced. The court explained that their violations were partly caused by harassment by officials in State agencies or flaws in State mechanisms. Those defendants have also shown cooperation during the investigation process.

Three defendants had their jail sentences reduced to suspended sentences, including: Nguyễn Hoàng Linh, former staff member of the Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia; Đặng Minh Phương, former accountant of the Vietnamese Embassy in Malaysia; and Trần Quốc Tuấn, director of Việt Nam Tourism Trade Promotion Co., Ltd.

Notably, Hoàng Văn Hưng, former head of the investigation division of the Investment Security Department at the Ministry of Public Security, also had his sentence reduced from life imprisonment to 20 years in prison.

At the appeal hearing, Hưng, charged with "fraudulent appropriation of assets,” admitted to his violation with remorse, and returned VNĐ18.8 billion (over US$773,000) associated with the committed offense. He had promised to clear the crime of the director of a travel company during the investigation of the repatriation flight case, in return for a bribe of a large sum.

The court reduced the jail sentences for former Vietnamese Ambassador to Malaysia Trần Việt Thái (from the initial four years down to three years on the charge of “abusing position and power while performing duties”), and Nguyễn Anh Tuấn, former deputy director of the Hanoi Department of Public Security (from the initial five years down to four years on the charge of “brokering bribery”).

According to the first-instance verdict, amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the Government ordered organising repatriation flights for overseas Vietnamese. Specific tasks were assigned to the Government Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant ministries, and some municipal and provincial people’s committees.

The defendants had taken advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to commit the crimes, which had occurred at many different ministries, sectors and localities. Most of the charges were classified as “particularly serious” and “particularly dangerous for society”.

The defendants taking bribes were those holding high positions and power in State agencies. After the case was brought to light, there were signs of collusion with one another to conceal their violations. Some defendants did not make sincere statements or admit their crimes.

The indictment read that under the Party and State’s policy, the arrangement of more than 1,000 flights to repatriate over 200,000 Vietnamese citizens from 62 countries and territories was a demonstration of the State’s humanitarian policy. The purpose of the flights was well-intentioned, but this policy was stained by degenerate officials, eroding its reputation in the eyes of the people and the international community. — VNS