The People’s Court in HCM City on Tuesday began first hearing in the property embezzlement and bribery case involving officials of the Bến Thành branch of the Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development of Việt Nam (Agribank). — Photo tuoitre.vn

HCM CITY — The People’s Court in HCM City on Tuesday began first hearing in the property embezzlement and bribery case involving officials of the Bến Thành branch of the Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development of Việt Nam (Agribank).

Twelve defendants have pleaded guilty to misappropriation of property, taking and receiving bribes, and violating lending regulations. Five of these are former officials and employees of Agribank Bến Thành.

According to the indictment issued by the Supreme People’s Procuracy, former director of Agribank Bến Thành, Nguyễn Thị Hoàng Oanh, is being prosecuted for three offences: property embezzlement, receiving bribes and violating lending regulations.

Specifically, Oanh used the names of eight people, created dossiers and completed loan procedures to appropriate 2,660 taels of SJC gold worth VNĐ47.2 billion (US$2 million) from the branch.

Oanh said she spent 2,250 gold taels to purchase a house on Trần Quang Khải Road in District 1’s Tân Định Ward, and then rented it to a Agribank Bến Thành’s transaction office for VNĐ5.6 billion ($5,800 a month).

She used the remaining gold on private businesses. When the debt became due, Oanh directed Cao Bá Hiếu (former deputy head of Agribank Bến Thành’s Business Planning Division) and Trương Thế Thanh (former director of Agribank Branch No 3) to use the Liên Lục Địa Ltd Co and names of some other individuals and businesses to borrow money from Agribank Bến Thành and used the money for repayment.

Additionally, Oanh signed an approval for Thanh, former director of Agribank Branch No 3, to use names of another two persons to borrow VNĐ13 billion ($572,000) from Agribank Bến Thành for personal purposes. But Thanh failed to repay the bank.

Oanh’s actions are said to have caused Agribank Bến Thành losses of over VNĐ358 billion ($15.7 million).

Oanh is also accused of receiving bribes for approving a VNĐ24.6 billion loan for Lê Văn Tính (former director of Kim Gia Thảo Ltd Co) though he was not eligible.

The hearing is expected to last 10 days. — VNS