Delaying the Trial of the COMA 18 Management for Selling the VP6 Linh Dam Project to Mr. Le Thanh Thoan

On July 31, the Hanoi People’s Court tried Le Huy Lan, former General Director of Coma 18 JSC, Le Xuan Phong, former Deputy General Director of Coma 18 JSC, and Le Van Khuong, former Chairman of the Members’ Council of the Mechanical Construction Corporation, for violations of regulations on the management and use of state assets, causing loss and waste, and for irresponsibility resulting in serious consequences.

Lawyers requested the Court to summon relevant parties, including representatives from the Hanoi Inspectorate, the State Treasury of Hanoi, the Tax Office of Hoang Mai District, and the State Treasury of Hoang Mai District, to clarify the accounting of the VND64 billion paid by Dien Bien Private Enterprise. This would help determine the responsibilities of the agencies in failing to transfer the money to the state budget as regulated.

Lawyers also requested the presence of judicial experts to clarify the basis for determining the damage of over VND64 billion.

Additionally, one defendant was absent due to health reasons.

Given these developments, the Court decided to adjourn the trial. The new trial date will be announced later.

According to the investigation, Coma 18 JSC, located in Ha Dong District, is a company with 51% state-owned capital. The Mechanical Construction Corporation (COMA), as the parent company, holds the state’s dominant stake. Coma 18 JSC was led by Mr. Le Huy Lan, who served as its General Director, Legal Representative, and representative of the state-owned capital.

In February 2010, the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUD) signed an economic contract to transfer the VP6 Linh Dam Project’s infrastructure to Coma 18 JSC. The contract clearly stated that the land lot could not be transferred or sold to any third party during the contract’s execution.

Despite knowing that the VP6 Linh Dam Project could not be transferred, Coma 18 JSC, facing financial difficulties, failed to report to the Hanoi People’s Committee about their inability to implement the project. Instead, they transferred the project to a company owned by Mr. Le Thanh Thoan through a business cooperation contract.

Subsequently, Coma 18 JSC issued VAT invoices for the sale of goods to Dien Bien Private Enterprise and commenced construction of the project, violating the approved plan by increasing the number of floors from 35 to 37.

Mr. Le Thanh Thoan stated that he did not collude with Mr. Lan regarding Coma 18 JSC receiving and then transferring the VP6 Linh Dam Project to his company. He claimed that the business cooperation contract was initiated by Mr. Lan, who took the lead in contacting him to finalize the deal.

The Prosecutor’s Office affirmed that there was no basis to determine the complicity of Mr. Le Thanh Thoan with Mr. Le Huy Lan. The investigating agency has separated and withdrawn the documents for further investigation.