The High-level People’s Court in Hà Nội upheld the 13-year jail sentence for Đinh La Thăng, former Chairman of the Member Council of the Việt Nam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) during an appeal court on Monday.— VNA/VNS Photo Văn Điệp

HÀ NỘI — The High-level People’s Court in Hà Nội upheld the 13-year jail sentence for Đinh La Thăng, former Chairman of the Member Council of the Việt Nam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) during an appeal court on Monday. 

Thăng, also former Politburo member, Ministry of Transport and Secretary of HCM City Party Committee was charged with “deliberately violating State regulations on economic management, causing severe consequences”. 

According to the verdict, Thăng and Phùng Đình Thực, former PetroVietnam Director gave the PVC the EPC contract package for the Thái Bình thermal power project No2, a key national project, in the form of appointment of contractor. 

While the adjusted investment project was not approved, plus the lack of the FEED design, total estimates, bidding dossiers along with many other legal documents, Đinh La Thăng instructed his subordinates to sign the EPC contract No33 on February 28, 2011 and a contract on transferring investment ownership No 4194 on May 13, 2011 with total value of US$1.2 billion. The signing of those contracts was aimed at transferring money from PVN to debt-ridden PVC. 

Thực received a six-year prison sentence instead of the previous nine-year jail due to achievements in scientific studies, his family’s contributions to the revolution, old age and ailment. Thực was also charged with “deliberately violating State regulations on economic management, causing severe consequences”. 

PVC General Director Vũ Đức Thuận was sentenced to six years in prison instead of seven years in the previous sentence for deliberately violating State regulations on economic management, causing severe consequences and 15 years in jail for asset embezzlement.

Reduced jail sentences were given to former PVN Deputy General Director Nguyễn Quốc Khánh (seven years), former deputy head of the PVN Department of Accounting and Auditing Lê Đình Mậu (three years and six months), former Vice Chairman of the PVC Board of Directors Nguyễn Ngọc Quý (five years and six months), and former PVC Deputy General Director Nguyễn Mạnh Tiến (five years and six months). 

Sentences were upheld for former PVC Deputy General Director Nguyễn Anh Minh, former Director of the PVC’s Vũng Áng – Quảng Trạch project management board Lương Văn Hòa, former PVC Chief of Office Bùi Mạnh Hiển, former PetroVietnam chief accountant Ninh Văn Quỳnh, former head of the Thái Bình 2 thermal power project management board Vũ Hồng Chương, and former chief accountant of the Thái Bình 2 thermal power project management board Trần Văn Nguyên. 

The court asked Đinh La Thăng, Phùng Đình Thực, Nguyễn Quốc Khánh, Vũ Đức Thuận, Nguyễn Ngọc Quý, Nguyễn Mạnh Tiến, Ninh Văn Quỳnh, Trần Văn Nguyên, Vũ Hồng Chương, Lê Đình Mậu, Trịnh Xuân Thanh, Nguyễn Xuân Sơn, Phạm Tiến Đạt and Trương Quốc Dũng to pay more than VNĐ119 billion (US$5.28 million) to PVN in compensation. 

Thăng must pay VNĐ30 billion while Thực, Khánh, Thuận pay VNĐ7.5 billion each. 
Vũ Đức Thuận, Nguyễn Anh Minh, Lương Văn Hòa, Bùi Mạnh Hiển, Trịnh Xuân Thanh, Nguyễn Thanh Quỳnh, Lê Thị Anh Hoa must pay VNĐ11.8 billion in total. 

On the appeal lodged by Trịnh Hùng Cường - son of Trịnh Xuân Thanh about Thanh’s private assets, the court decided to maintain the Ministry of Public Security’s order to freeze Thanh’s private assets, including a villa in Hà Nội’s Vinhomes Riverside ecological urban area, an apartment in Nha Trang City, the central province of Khánh Hòa, bank accounts and saving books of Trịnh Xuân Thanh, his spouse Trần Dương Nga and two sons and shares owned by Thanh and Nga, and prevention of any transfer involving these properties. — VNS