Defendant Trần Văn Tám at the trial. VNA/VNS Photo Phạm Kiên

HÀ NỘI - Following a two-week-long trial, on Friday morning, the People's Court of Hà Nội sentenced 22 individuals in a case involving construction-related infractions, culminating in damages of VNĐ460 billion (approximately US$18.7 million) during the second phase of the Đà Nẵng-Quảng Ngãi Expressway Project.

Trần Văn Tám, the former Director of the Việt Nam Expressway Corporation (VEC), was handed a 3-year prison term on counts of “serious violations of regulations on investment in construction projects causing serious consequences,” paired with a 30-month sentence for “negligence causing serious consequences.” The cumulative effect of these sentences amounts to 5 years and 6 months of incarceration.

Mai Tuấn Anh, former Chairman of the Board and former VEC Director, was sentenced to 42 months in prison for "negligence causing serious consequences."

Nguyễn Mạnh Hùng and Lê Quang Hào, both former VEC Deputy Directors, received a total of 11 years and 8 years in prison, respectively, for "serious violations of regulations on investment in construction projects causing serious consequences."

The remaining 18 defendants were convicted of the same charge of "serious violations of regulations on investment in construction projects causing serious consequences", with total sentences ranging from 5 to 10 years. These include three former leaders of the Project Management Board of the Đà Nẵng-Quảng Ngãi Expressway Project: Hoàng Việt Hưng, Nguyễn Tiến Thành and Đỗ Ngọc Ân.

The Đà Nẵng-Quảng Ngãi Expressway Project is a national key project managed by the VEC, with a total length of nearly 140 kilometres.

Phase 1, which spans 65 kilometres from Đà Nẵng to Tam Kỳ (Quảng Nam Province), was opened in August 2017. Phase 2, which is over 74 kilometres and goes from Tam Kỳ to Quảng Ngãi (Quảng Ngãi Province), was opened in September 2018.

However, shortly after the expressway went into operation, numerous defects appeared, significantly affecting its operation, traffic safety, and overall performance. Violations occurred in both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the project. In Phase 1, 36 defendants were prosecuted.

During Phase 2, various parties responsible for the project, including the investor, project management board, construction contractors, and supervising consultants, failed to adhere to regulations in material selection, design compliance, trial construction, and general material production. The construction process, particularly the materials used, proved to be substandard, leading to significant damage.

In terms of quality control and site inspection, there was a lack of rigorous guidance in the project's direction and construction management. Inspection and control of construction quality were insufficiently conducted at various stages and steps according to construction regulations. Consequently, in both Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the project, construction materials did not meet technical standards and design requirements, resulting in damage and serious consequences for the operation of the expressway.

Notably, on May 25, 2016, after conducting a site inspection of the project, the Ministry of Transport requested VEC to enhance material quality inspections, particularly those relating to stone quarries in the Quảng Nam and Đà Nẵng areas. However, Tuấn Anh and Tám did not take the request seriously, which led to continued usage of subpar materials, and resulted in unsatisfactory quality, substandard construction, and significant damage to the expressway's operation.

Throughout both phases of the project, the lower-ranking officials under the leadership of Mai Tuấn Anh and Trần Văn Tám, including Deputy Director-Generals Nguyễn Mạnh Hùng and Lê Quang Hào, who played key roles at the Project Management Board, were all indicted for "Serious violations of regulations on investment in construction projects causing serious consequences."

The trial determined that, in their roles as Directors of VEC, Tuấn Anh and Tám had neglected management duties, failed to provide proper guidance for timely rectification of project issues related to source materials, construction processes, and project acceptance.

The trial's council acknowledged the gravity of the defendants' offences. However, it considered that the defendants were all highly qualified professionals with good moral character who acted with a sense of urgency to bring the project into operation. As a result, a portion of the sentences for the defendants was reduced. VNS