Nguyễn Đức Chung (sitting between two police officers), former Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, listened to the judges' verdict at Hà Nội People's Court in a closed trial on Friday. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

HÀ NỘI — The Hà Nội People’s Court on Friday sentenced Nguyễn Đức Chung, 53, former Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, to five years in prison on charges of “appropriating confidential State documents”.

Phạm Quang Dũng, a former officer at the Investigation Police Department for Corruption, Smuggling and Economic Crimes under the Ministry of Public Security, was given a jail term of four years and six months, while Nguyễn Hoàng Trung, a former officer of the Hà Nội Department of Public Security and Chung’s driver; and Nguyễn Anh Ngọc, former deputy head of Cầu Giấy District’s division of public security and assigned to work at the Hà Nội People’s Committee’s Office, received imprisonment sentences of 24 months and 18 months, respectively.

The three defendants were also convicted of “appropriating confidential state documents” under Article 337 of the Penal Code 2015 at a trial that was closed to the public.

According to the indictment of the Supreme People’s Procuracy, Chung and his wife Nguyễn Thị Trúc Chi Hoa, "had rights and obligations associated with" the smuggling and accounting violations at Nhật Cường company, which falls under the supervision of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-Corruption.

Chung asked Dũng, who was working on the Nhật Cường case, to provide him with confidential documents and information related to the case.

At Chung’s request, Dũng stole nine documents listed as State secrets and gave six to Chung between July 2019 and June 2020.

Trung and Ngọc took part in printing and adjusting three of the documents.

The Supreme People’s Court remarked there were mitigating circumstances for the defendants, saying all four have been honest and shown remorse during the investigation and they have been recognised for good performance in their positions.

Chung was previously awarded the honour Hero of the People’s Armed Forces and had been suffering from cancer. — VNS