VŨNG TÀU — Three former officials of Vũng Tàu City of southern Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu Province have been charged for violating principles relating to land management and conversion for land use purpose.

The Investigation Police Agency under the Ministry of Public Security on Sunday decided to commence proceedings against Phan Hòa Bình and Trương Văn Trí, former Chairman and Vice Chairman of Vũng Tàu City People’s Committee, respectively, and Nguyễn Thanh Sơn, former chief of the municipal Urban Management Department, on the charge of deliberately violating legal regulations on economic management causing serious consequences.

According to initial information provided by the police, from December 17, 2010, to January 18, 2011, Bình and Trí signed a total of 71 decisions allowing the conversion for land use purpose for a total area of 243,000m for three construction projects in Vũng Tàu City. The three projects are the Metropolitan project, developed by the An Khang real estate joint stock company; the Khang Gia Hân luxury apartment-services complex, developed by the Khang Gia Hân investment joint stock company; and the Vườn Xuân project, invested by the Đông Dương real estate joint stock company. The Investigation Police Agency found many violations in the decisions.

While approving the detailed plan of the Metropolitan project, Nguyễn Thanh Sơn only considered plans offered by the An Khang company, without following the city’s land planning. His approval resulted in the project illegally encroaching upon public and residents’ land.

Earlier in 2014, in connection with Metropolitan project violations, the Investigation Police Agency for Corruption-related Crimes started legal proceedings and detained Vũ Quốc Tuấn, chief of the municipal Natural Resources and Environment Department, for deliberately violating legal regulations on economic management and causing serious consequences, and Ngô Minh Phương, chairwoman of the board of directors of An Khang JSC, for swindling.

The giant Metropolitan project, which is located in Ward 11 of Vũng Tàu City, was launched in 2011 and includes a 43ha complex of villas, apartment buildings, gardens and schools, as well as offices and buildings providing public services, with a total investment of some VNĐ8 trillion (US$356 million).

The company was denounced for swindling nearly 300 people, who invested up to VNĐ400 billion ($17.8 million), while buying land for the project.

Till today, no work has begun on the land. According to the investigation, the project has neither been given an investment certificate nor a construction licence. — VNS