Former officials of Bích Hòa Commune at the first instance trial on Tuesday. Photo vietnamplus.vn

HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội People’s Court on Tuesday handed sentences to nine officials of Bích Hòa Commune for violations in land management.

They have been charged with abusing their position and power while on duty in line with Article 356 of the Penal Code.

Former chairman of Bích Hòa Commune People’s Committee Bùi Ngọc Hân received a 3-year suspended sentence while Nguyễn Văn Tỉnh, a former commune official in charge of land registration was sentenced to 30 months’ probation.

Lưu Bá Minh, former head of Bích Hòa Commune’s Thanh  Lương Village, was sentenced to three years in jail.

Bùi Văn Tăng, former head of Thanh  Lương Village and former Party Committee Secretary, Bùi Văn Duyệt,  Nguyễn Văn Đặng, Nguyễn Văn Thành and Phạm Văn Vinh, former heads of Bích Hòa Commune’s Kỳ Thủy Village and former Party Committee Secretary Nguyễn Hữu Dũng got suspended sentences ranging from 12 to 30 months.

According to the indictment, offenders took advantage of their positions to illegally sell land with a total area of nearly 10,500sq.m to 40 households, collecting nearly VNĐ18 billion (US$775,500). The total loss to the State budget is estimated at over VNĐ1.2 billion ($51,700).

Hân and Tỉnh were officials in charge of land management at the locality but they had agreed with the proposal from heads of Thanh Lương and Kỳ Thủy villages to sell land with an aim to have more capital for upgrading pagodas, roads and other social welfare projects. The sale of public land under the management of the communal People’s Committee was unlawful.

Hân was responsible for the improper sale of land with a total area of over 4,700sq.m, causing damage of VNĐ473 million.

Tỉnh was accused of improper land allocation with a total area of 2,500sq.m, causing a loss of VNĐ355 million to the State budget.

As the offenders confessed and had made contributions to the locality, the Jury Council reduced their sentences. — VNS