Phạm Công Danh. — VNA/VNS Photo Hoàng Hải

HCM CITY — A representative of the HCM City People’s Procuracy has proposed sentencing Phạm Công Danh, ex-chairman of the Việt Nam Construction Bank’s (VNCB) board of directors and general director of Thiên Thanh Group, to 20 years in jail for “deliberately violating State regulations on economic management causing severe consequences” at VNCB.

Danh, who is already serving a 10-year sentence for wrongdoings, would be in jail for a total of 30 years under the proposal.

Phan Thành Mai, former general director of VNCB, would serve 13-15 years under the proposal. Combined with his previous sentence in another cases, he would be in jail a total of 30 years.

Mai Hữu Khương, former director of VNCB’s Sài Gòn branch, would be sentenced to 11-13 years in jail, totalling 30 years imprisonment, under the prosecutor’s proposal.

Other defendants would receive two years on probation to 23 years in jail.

Trầm Bê, ex-deputy chairman of the Sacombank’s board of directors, would receive five to six years in prison, the prosecution said.

A representative of the HCM City People’s Procuracy asked the court to cancel distrained property at 591 An Dương Vương, Bình Tân District, which belongs to Trầm Bê.

He also asked the court to recoup the loss of VNĐ6.1 trillion (US$274 million) for VNCB by ordering Phạm Công Danh and Thiên Thanh Group to pay back the money to three banks, including BIDV, TPBank and Sacombank.

The prosecution also asked that defendant Nguyễn Việt Hà, ex-general director of Lộc Việt Fund Management Company, pay VNĐ69 billion ($3.2 million) into the State budget.

The representative of the People’s Procuracy also requested the Ministry of Public Security and Supreme Procuracy to continue to investigate leaders of four banks associated with the trial, including VNCB, BIDV, Sacombank and TPBank.

The corruption case involves the largest-ever recorded economic loss of any preceding corruption case in the country.

The 51-year-old Phạm Công Danh and his defendants are accused of using VNCB’s money as collateral to take out loans totalling more than VNĐ6.1 trillion at TPBank, Sacombank and BIDV.

The borrowed money, however, was for Danh’s personal use, and he did not repay it. — VNS