Vietnam’s Supreme People’s Procuracy has indicted Ms. Tran Thi Binh Minh, former Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Planning and Investment, on charges of negligence and abuse of power in relation to a laboratory project.
According to the indictment, Ms. Minh, who was in charge of the Economic Department, was responsible for the approval of various projects, including the Center for Biotechnology’s 12-laboratory project.
It is alleged that Ms. Minh, at the request of Mr. Tran Manh Ha, Vice President of AIC, and Mr. Duong Hoa Xo, former Director of the Center for Biotechnology, used her position to influence Mr. Phan Tat Thang, former Deputy Head of the Economic Department, and Mr. Nguyen Thai Nhi, a specialist in the same department, to prepare a proposal for her approval. This proposal involved adjustments to the project’s budget and timeline, bypassing the necessary approval processes to secure funding for the Center to execute the project.
During the budget review, Ms. Minh was aware that Mr. Xo had unlawfully approved adjustments to the equipment list and budget for the first four packages of the project, as well as organized the bidding and contract execution without the necessary approvals from higher authorities.
Ms. Tran Thi Binh Minh, former Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Planning and Investment. Photo: Vietnamese Police.
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Mr. Nhi, a newly recruited specialist, discovered these irregularities during his review of the project adjustments. He proposed that Ms. Minh organize a meeting with the Department of Finance and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to further examine the budget proposal. However, Ms. Minh disagreed with this suggestion.
Ms. Minh failed to address and rectify the Center for Biotechnology’s violations, which resulted in financial losses for the state budget. Furthermore, she did not organize the proposed meeting and instead instructed Mr. Nhi to continue with the budget adjustments for the second and third phases of the project. These actions facilitated the Center and AIC in inflating the budget for the first phase and increasing the bid prices for the second and third phases, violating public investment laws and causing further financial harm to the state.
It is alleged that Ms. Minh received benefits totaling VND 1.9 billion in connection with this case. This amount was given to her by Mr. Tran Manh Ha and Mr. Duong Hoa Xo, who had received bribes from AIC.
The Supreme People’s Procuracy has taken into consideration the fact that Mr. Nhi, as a newly recruited specialist, reported the violations regarding the unauthorized budget increases. He followed Ms. Minh’s instructions and has been cooperative during the investigation, voluntarily surrendering any benefits he received. The Procuracy has decided to show leniency and refrain from pursuing criminal charges against him.
Another specialist, Mr. Phan Trung Hieu, is believed to have neglected his duties by failing to adequately monitor the project. This negligence resulted in the Center for Biotechnology’s unauthorized budget increases and the allocation of an additional VND 75 billion for the project’s second phase. However, Mr. Hieu was unaware of the collusion and price inflation scheme. He has been cooperative during the investigation and has not benefited from these actions. Considering the lack of clarity in the 2014 Law on Public Investment regarding the approval authority for budgets, the Procuracy has decided not to pursue criminal charges against Mr. Hieu.
T.Nhung
