Trial opens for former Vinalines boss
The Hanoi People’s Court on December 12 began the first-instance trial of Duong Chi Dung, former chairman of the Vietnam National Shipping Lines (Vinalines) and his accomplices on charges of intentionally violating State regulations on economic management causing severe consequences and embezzlement.
The 10 defendants are represented by 13 lawyers at the trial.
According to the indictment issued at the court, during 2007-2008, Dung and his accomplices violated regulations on investment, bidding and customs procedures for import and export through the purchase and repair of Floating Dock 83M. The malpractice caused losses of 366.9 billion VND (17.2 million USD) to the State budget.
In the deal, Dung and three others, namely Mai Van Phuc, Tran Huu Chieu, and Tran Hai Son, appropriated VND28 billion (US$1.3 million).
The indictment said while knowing that the floating dock, built in 1965, has been damaged and no longer in use since 2006 and its owner offered a negotiable price of under US$5 million, Dung still signed Decision 186/QD-HDQT on February 15, 2008 approving the purchasing of the dock at a price tag of US$9 million from an intermediary, the Singapore-based AP company, which bought the dock from its real owner at only US$2.3 million.
According to the Procuracy, Dung was the main culprit in the case and also misappropriated VND10 billion (US$470,000).
Dung was arrested on September 4, 2012 after several months on the run since May 17, 2012 when an indictment and arrest warrant were issued for him.
The trial is scheduled to last three days.