Ten people involved in the Đại Ninh Project case standing trial on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The former Minister and Chief of the Government Office stood trial on Thursday over allegations of receiving bribes to aid in illegally reviving a project.

Mai Tiến Dũng, 66, was one of the ten people prosecuted for their alleged involvement in the Đại Ninh Project case. He appeared visibly unwell and required assistance to attend the court session, reportedly due to health complications following a stroke.

Other defendants include Nguyễn Cao Trí, 55, former CEO of Sài Gòn Đại Ninh Company; Nguyễn Hồng Giang, 62, former director of Division II under the Government Inspectorate; Trần Đức Quận, 58, former secretary of Lâm Đồng Province's Party Committee; and Trần Văn Hiệp, 60, former chairman of the Lâm Đồng's People's Committee.

Giang asked to be tried in absentia due to a serious medical condition, which rendered him unable to attend the trial, and the court approved his request.

The court heard that the People's Committee of Lâm Đồng Province granted Sài Gòn Đại Ninh Company the go-ahead to undertake the Đại Ninh eco-tourism resort project in 2010.

The project, valued at over VNĐ25 trillion (nearly US$1 billion), spanned almost 3,600 hectares and was expected to run for 50 years.

However, between 2013 and 2018, government inspectors found numerous violations, including unpaid land-use fees, environmental damages and delays in project execution.

As a result, the Government Inspectorate recommended that the project be terminated and its land be reclaimed. This decision prompted Nguyễn Cao Trí to seek help from high-ranking officials to reverse the ruling.

Trí sought advice from the then-Deputy Chief Government Inspector Trần Văn Minh who allegedly assured him that reversing the inspection ruling was possible.

Minh, who passed away in 2023, reportedly outlined steps to overturn the decision. Trí then approached Dũng, leveraging his position to lobby for the project.

The court heard that Dũng abused his authority as Chief of the Government Office to forward Trí's petition letter to the Government Inspectorate, requesting that inspectors consider the petition.

Minh then formed a task force to re-evaluate the Đại Ninh project, and, along with Hiệp, chaired a meeting at which they announced a reversal of the decision, instead extending the project's timeline.

Following this outcome, Trí reportedly gave Dũng VNĐ200 million ($7,900) and Hiệp VNĐ4.2 billion ($165,000) as "thank-you gifts".

Altogether, Trí is accused of bribing officials with over VNĐ7 billion ($276,000).

After securing the extension, Trí sold the project to Thiên Vương Company for VNĐ27.6 trillion ($1.1 billion) in a five-installment deal. By October 2022, the latter had paid VNĐ2.7 trillion ($106 million) to Trí.

Despite the extended timeline, Sài Gòn Đại Ninh made no progress on the project. Instead, there were 24 documented violations, including four instances of deforestation that destroyed 3,500sq.m of forest and 22 instances of land encroachment totalling 37,600sq.m.

Prosecutors argued that the VNĐ2.7 trillion was illegally gained through criminal activity, requesting that the amount be confiscated. 

During the trial, Trí admitted giving money to the high-ranking officials, but insisted it was a gesture of gratitude for their help in getting his petition through, not bribery.

The trial is expected to continue over the next five days. — VNS