Seven defendants in Phu Tho ethanol case file appeals

The seven are among 12 defendants in the case involving violations of regulations on investment in construction works, causing serious consequences, at the ethanol plant in the northern province of Phu Tho. They were brought to trial by the municipal People’s Court from March 8-15.

The defendants lodging appeals are former Chairman of the Board of Directors and former General Director of the PetroVietnam Construction JSC (PVC) Trinh Xuan Thanh, former General Director of the PetroVietnam PetroChemicals and Biofuel JSC (PVB) Vu Thanh Ha, former General Director of the PetroVietnam Construction JSC (PVC) Pham Xuan Dieu, former deputy head of PVB’s investment office Nguyen Xuan Thuy, former deputy head of PVB’s commercial office Khuong Anh Tuan, former head of PVB’s business office Le Thanh Thai, and former chief accountant at PVB Hoang Dinh Tam.

Thanh asked the court to throw out the entire verdict, while the six others asked for an exemption from civil responsibility.

Ha, Dieu, and Thuy also asked for reduced punishment on the charge of “violating regulations on investment in construction works, causing serious consequences”. Thai, meanwhile, hoped to receive a suspended sentence. 

They asked the court to consider the situation when the violations took place and that they were not fully aware of their wrongdoings.

The Mai Phuong Company also filed an appeal, asking the court to return 3,400 sq m of land in Vinh Phuc province’s Tam Dao district to the company, instead of giving it to PVC.

Former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) Dinh La Thang, who, the court said, must shoulder the main responsibility in selecting the contractor for the project, did not file an appeal.

During the first instance trial last month, the People’s Court handed down a jail term of 11 years to Thang for “violating regulations on investment in construction works, causing serious consequences” in line with Article 224, Clause 3 of the 2015 Penal Code.

Combined with sentences given to him in previous cases, Thang will spend a total of 30 years in prison.

On the same charge, Ha was given a jail term of six and a half years. Binh received a 36-month suspended sentence. Dieu will spend three and a half years behind bars, while former Deputy General Director of PVC Nguyen Ngoc Dung was sentenced to three years in prison.

Jail terms ranging from 24 to 30 months were handed down to the other defendants on the same charge.

Thanh was sentenced to 10 years in prison for “violating regulations on investment in construction works, causing serious consequences”, and eight years behind bars for “abusing position and power while performing duties”. Taking into account his previous sentences, he faces life imprisonment.

Chairman of the Board of Directors and General Director of the Kinh Bac Petroleum Construction and Investment JSC Do Van Hong was given a jail sentence of four years for “abusing position and power while performing duties”. Combined with sentences given earlier, he must serve a jail term of 17 years.

According to the indictment, Thang signed a resolution to approve investment in the project in October 2007. On his instruction, the PVC/Alfa Laval/Delta-T joint contractors, who had no previous experience in carrying out ethanol projects, were appointed to implement the project.

As a result, the project was continuously behind schedule and ceased in March 2013 with no construction items done.

The wrongdoings of the defendants were said to cause losses of more than VND543 billion (US$23.49 million).

Thanh confessed that when signing the contract for the implementation of the project with funding of US$59 million, he was aware that the amount was not enough to cover implementation.

The judge stated that Thang must take the main responsibility in selecting the contractor.

Such wrongdoings in contractor selection have resulted in the suspension of the project, with no items completed so far, according to the judge.