This morning (8/3), the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court continued to try Truong My Lan and her accomplices for their wrongdoings at Van Thinh Phat Group, Saigon Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SCB), and related organizations.
In the proceedings of the morning session, the panel of judges focused on questioning the group of defendants who are former officials of the Banking Supervision and Inspection Department. All of these defendants have admitted to their actions as stated in the indictment and expressed remorse.
Defendant Do Thi Nhan (former Director of the Banking Supervision and Inspection Department II, State Bank of Vietnam) stated that she received money four times from Vo Tan Hoang Van (former CEO) and Dinh Van Thanh (former Chairman of the Board of Directors of SCB – who is now on the run), with a total amount of 5.2 million USD.
Defendant Nhan stated in court that after completing the first inspection of SCB, she prepared a report for Nguyen Van Hung (former Deputy Chief Inspector in charge of the Banking Supervision and Inspection Agency, State Bank of Vietnam). The report stated that SCB met the conditions for special supervision. However, Mr. Hung instructed to review the report and then, the officials at the Banking Supervision and Inspection Department deliberately ignored the violations of SCB.
Defendant Do Thi Nhan in the trial on the morning of March 8. Photo: Nguyen Hue. |
According to the accusations, during the inspection process at SCB from 2017 to 2018, Nhan and the members of the inspection teams who were aware of the serious violations and misconduct of SCB in various projects and restructuring plans.
The defendants were aware of the violations and misconduct in loans to customers with addresses at 4 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai, District 1; they were fully aware of the poor financial performance of SCB through the inspection results. However, due to personal motives, receiving money and material benefits from SCB, Mr. Hung instructed Nhan and the members of the delegation to conceal, withhold, draft inspection conclusions and reports that were not truthful and complete to the leadership of the State Bank and the Government, with the purpose of not forwarding the violations to the competent authorities for legal handling.
This created favorable conditions for SCB to continue implementing its restructuring plan. Although she admitted to receiving a total amount of 5.2 million USD from Truong My Lan through Vo Tan Hoang Van and Dinh Van Thanh, Nhan honestly stated that she did not take the money because Van told her not to make things difficult for him and herself.
The defendants in court. Photo: Nguyen Hue. |
“But because Van told me not to make things difficult for him and myself, I was very scared, so I put the money in a corner of my house and did not use it,” Nhan said.
Defendant Nhan also stated that because she knew that receiving money would lead to imprisonment, she called Van several times requesting him to come and take the money back, but Van did not come.
“I intended to settle the matter for my mother and then return the money to Van, but I was arrested. I realize my actions, I voluntarily admitted and returned the entire amount of 5.2 million USD,” Nhan said.
Defendant Nguyen Van Hung admitted that the indictment was correct and that he had received money and gifts from SCB on occasions such as holidays and Tet, with a total amount of 390 thousand USD.
“The members of the inspection team have been working in the industry for many years and have never had any flaws before. They are excellent officials. I hope the panel of judges will consider mitigating the sentence for the defendants,” Hung pleaded, crying and requesting for leniency.
Bao Anh
