The defendants hear their sentences in court. — Photo laodong.vn

THỪA THIÊN-HUẾ — Several former leaders of the Motor Vehicle Registration Centre in Huế City, have been sentenced to prison for taking bribes in a corruption case involving fake vehicle inspection and modification procedures.

The People’s Court of Huế City delivered its first-instance verdict on Thursday following several days of deliberations. Although the trial summoned 541 people, including 508 with related rights and obligations and 33 witnesses, none attended.

Former Centre Director Đào Hữu Long was sentenced to 15 years and three months in prison. Former Deputy Director Trần Hưng Huy and director of Thống Nhất Huế Auto Design Co. Nguyễn Phan Phú Nguyên were both sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Other defendants received lighter sentences.

The centre's former Deputy Director Dương Phúc Thiện was sentenced to four years in prison, while former Deputy Director Ngô Văn Tiến received a two-year suspended sentence with four years of probation.

Phạm Quang Hồng, former head of the Transport and Vehicle Management Division under the city’s transport department, received a 2.5-year suspended sentence with five years of probation.

The court also ordered all defendants to return their illicit gains.

According to the indictment, between 2018 and early 2023, the group accepted bribes from vehicle owners in and outside then Thừa Thiên-Huế Province (now Huế City) to facilitate illegal vehicle modifications and issue falsified inspection certificates.

Long received more than VNĐ2.3 billion (US$88,200) from 258 vehicle owners and profited by over VNĐ1 billion after paying contractors.

Huy took nearly VNĐ2.1 billion from 255 owners and profited by almost VNĐ800 million. He also signed off on fraudulent documents that enabled others to collect an additional VNĐ639 million.

Nguyên served as a broker, receiving nearly VNĐ1.35 billion from the former centre officials. After paying design fees and giving VNĐ322 million to Hồng, he kept more than VNĐ934 million in profits.

In court, all defendants admitted wrongdoing and expressed regret, asking for leniency. — VNS