Police propose prosecution of former Deputy Minister for abuse of power
The Ministry of Public Security's Investigation Security Agency has proposed the prosecution of former Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Hoang Quoc Vuong for “abusing position and power while performing duties”.
The proposal was made following an investigation into a case of abusing position and authority while performing duty and lacking responsibility causing serious consequences involving the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) and some cities and provinces.
Besides Vuong, the agency also urged the prosecution of Phuong Hoang Kim, former Director of the MoIT’s Electricity and Renewable Energy Authority; Tran Quoc Hung, former deputy head of the Licensing and Public Relation Department at the ministry’s Electricity Regulatory Authority; Nguyen Danh Son, former Director of Electricity Trading Company; and five others for the same charge.
In May 2024, the police agency issued a conclusion on the investigation, but in July, the Supreme People's Procuracy decided to return the dossier for further investigation.
During the additional investigation, the agency charged three more individuals from the Binh Phuoc provincial Tax Department – Nguyen Duy Khanh, Tran Van Dinh, and Pham Quang Vinh for “a lack of responsibility, causing serious consequences”.
Investigation results show that Vuong and Kim abused their position and power while performing duties as the MoIT gave advice to the Prime Minister on implementing regulations regarding the scope of beneficiaries and conditions for preferential electricity pricing policies.
Their wrongdoings caused a loss of VND937 billion (US$38.11 million) to the Vietnam Electricity (EVN).
The remainders committed wrongdoings when the Electricity Regulatory Authority issued electricity operation licences, the Electricity Trading Company recognised the commercial operation date, and the Binh Phuoc provincial Tax Department refunded value-added tax to Loc Ninh 3 Energy JSC.
For the three additionally prosecuted, the agency clarified their negligence, which caused serious consequences in the tax refund process for Loc Ninh 3 Energy JSC.
