VKSND Kiên Giang province has appealed the first-instance verdict dated January 31, 2024 of the Kiên Giang Provincial People’s Court, requesting the High People’s Court in Ho Chi Minh City to consider increasing the penalties for defendants Doan Thien Long, Pham Anh Hieu and 12 other defendants. This group of defendants has been identified as the masterminds of the case, so the penalties should be increased.
It has been reported that some defendants have also filed an appeal against the first-instance verdict, including defendants Nguyen Van Thai, Pham Anh Hieu, and 17 other defendants requesting a reduction in their penalties; there are 2 defendants who have appealed for a suspended sentence.
The People’s Procuracy of Kiên Giang Province has appealed to the High People’s Court in Ho Chi Minh City to increase the penalties for several defendants.
As Tien Phong reported, on January 31, 2024, the Kiên Giang Provincial People’s Court sentenced 70 defendants in a case of land dispute in Phu Quoc, resulting in 2 deaths and 6 injuries.
The trial panel sentenced defendant Doan Thien Long (23 years old, residing in Duong Dong Ward, Phu Quoc City) to life imprisonment for the crimes of murder and illegal possession, transportation, and use of weapons. Prior to the indictment, the People’s Procuracy of Kiên Giang Province requested the death penalty for defendant Doan Thien Long.
Defendants Nguyen Van Thai (36 years old, also known as Thai bus, residing in Phu Quoc City) and Bui Duc Ngoc (32 years old, residing in Hai Phong City) were also sentenced to life imprisonment for murder (defendant Ngoc also committed the additional crime of unauthorized use of military weapons).
Defendant Doan Thien Long.
Defendant Pham Anh Hieu (34 years old, residing in Phu Quoc City) was sentenced to 20 years in prison for murder (lower than the prosecution’s request for life imprisonment); defendant Bui Minh Trung (48 years old, also known as Trung Ca Mau) was sentenced to 14 years in prison (lower than the 18-20 years suggested by the People’s Procuracy).
For the remaining 65 defendants, the trial panel imposed sentences ranging from 6 months in prison (with a suspended sentence) to 20 years in prison, for crimes including murder, public disorder, concealing crimes, and unauthorized possession, transportation, buying, and using of military weapons.
After agreeing to the deal for 4 billion dong, on October 27, 2022, Thai and more than 50 gangsters arrived at the disputed land on multiple cars, carrying knives, sticks, and 3 guns. A conflict broke out at that time. Doan Thien Long, who was with Thai, fired several shots from his gun, killing 2 people and injuring 6 others.
