On the afternoon of March 20, the People’s Court of Ho Chi Minh City continued the trial of defendant Truong My Lan and her accomplices.
After the defense arguments from the lawyers, Truong My Lan had the opportunity to make additional statements in her defense.
In a choked voice, defendant Truong My Lan said, “During the indictment, the Prosecutor stated that I was evasive and shifted blame onto lower-level employees, which caused me great sorrow.
After I was arrested, I learned that more than 50 former SCB officials were also arrested. I felt a part of the responsibility. Because the officials at SCB inadvertently violated regulations. I voluntarily took part of the responsibility, along with SCB staff. I did not evade responsibility.”
Defendant Truong My Lan at the court on March 20. Photo: Nguyen Hue |
Lan further added: “During my time in temporary detention, my heart bled, pondering on how to bring money into SCB.” Lan stated that she requested to work with foreign billionaires in order for them to bring money into SCB but her request was not considered.
“Through my lawyers, my daughter informed them that a global financial conglomerate would enter in January (January 2023), but under the condition that they meet me to vouch for me and meet with both the former and current leadership of SCB,” Lan said.
Following the defendant Truong My Lan’s statements, presiding judge Pham Luong Toan announced that if any billionaire or financial conglomerate wanted to bring money to SCB, the Court would create the conditions for them to meet the defendant right in the detention center, making it as convenient as possible.
Upon hearing the announcement by the presiding judge, Lan continued to explain, “I am explaining so that the Court understands that even in my hardship, I still tried and worried about SCB.”
The defendant also stated that before she was arrested, SCB was still in a good state and had a bright future because there was a foreign billionaire preparing to invest.
“The Court should carefully consider that it was not due to our negligence that SCB collapsed, but rather because I was arrested. I did not let the people lose trust,” Lan continued to explain.
In addition, the defendant emphasized that her name and Van Thinh Phat Group were never associated with SCB. Lan asked, “Based on what evidence was I accused of misappropriation?”
“Tran Thi My Dung stated that she lent me hundreds of trillion dong for 1-2 years, allowing me to clarify because the amount I was accused of misappropriating was over 260 trillion dong, so where did SCB give me that loan?” Lan continued to speak.
Lan also requested the Court to examine the relationship between Van Thinh Phat and SCB. She asserted that Van Thinh Phat did not have any representatives working at SCB.
Regarding the valuation of collateral assets, according to Lan, before she was arrested the value of the assets was very high, but then it was evaluated at 40% lower in 2023, after she was arrested.
In addition, Lan requested the Court to allow her to review SCB’s collection and expenditure statements from the time she was arrested until now, as well as the financial report before she was arrested.
With tears in her eyes, defendant Truong My Lan carefully considered the numbers, the amount of money she was accused of misappropriating. According to Lan, the accusation of misappropriating a large sum of money has affected the spirit of her children and her family. “My family is in distress, and personally, it has affected my psychological well-being and health,” Lan said.
Regarding the money she had previously paid, Lan requested that it be transferred to the account of Truong Hue Van so that Hue Van could use it to mitigate the consequences.
Lan also requested to be allowed to release the building at 19 Nguyen Hue (District 1, Ho Chi Minh City). According to Lan, this is the house that her mother bought for her daughter, and later rented it back to SCB in order to raise funds to renovate the ancient house at 112 Vo Van Tan (District 3, Ho Chi Minh City).
“I request SCB to pay the rent for my daughter’s house. For over a year, SCB has not paid the rent for my daughter’s house, my daughter is very frustrated,” Lan said.
Thanh Phuong
