Nguyễn Minh Quân, former director of Thủ Đức City Hospital, at HCM City People’s Court on Tuesday. VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — A local court in HCM City on Tuesday sentenced the former director of Thủ Đức Hospital to an additional 11 years in prison for involvement in a scandal related to coronavirus test kits, bringing his total prison term to 30 years.

Nguyễn Minh Quân was found guilty of signing a contract to purchase test kits at prices that were three times higher than their actual cost, resulting in significant financial losses for the hospital.

Quân was previously convicted of embezzling over VNĐ102.5 billion (US$4.2 million) through bid-rigging and money laundering and was ordered to repay the embezzled funds.

The court found that Quân pressured subordinates to award contracts to specific companies and personally benefited from the embezzled amount.

Five other former officials of Thủ Đức Hospital received sentences ranging from 2.5 years to 3.5 years for violations of bidding laws that caused serious consequences.

In a separate trial earlier this year, former ministers and officials were found guilty of bribery and mismanagement in connection to the test kit scandal.

Former health minister Nguyễn Thanh Long was sentenced to 18 years in prison for accepting bribes, while former science and technology minister Chu Ngoc Anh received three years for mismanagement.

Việt Á Technology Corp, a private medical firm, accused of colluding with officials to sell COVID-19 test kits at inflated prices, played a major role in the scandal, according to police.

Phan Quốc Việt, its founder and chief executive, was given a 29-year sentence in addition to a 25-year term handed down in a separate trial.

The verdicts come as Việt Nam continues its national anti-corruption campaign, which has led to investigations of numerous senior officials for corruption.

Việt Á reportedly sold approximately 4.5 million test kits in the nation during the pandemic at prices at least three times higher than their actual cost, illegally generating VNĐ1.23 trillion ($50 million), according to police reports. — VNS