Two former ministers prosecuted in COVID-19 test kit scandal
The Supreme People's Procuracy has prosecuted 38 individuals involving in the COVID-19 test kit overcharging at the Viet A Company.
They were prosecuted for “violating bidding regulations, causing serious consequences,” “asset embezzlement,” “receiving bribes” and “abusing position and power while performing duties.”
Among them, six shared the charge of “receiving bribes”, namely former Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long and his former secretary Nguyen Huynh, former Director of the Hai Duong Centre for Disease Control (CDC) Pham Duy Tuyen, former deputy head of the Science and Technology Department under the Ministry of Science and Technology Trinh Thanh Hung, former head of the Department of Health Equipment and Works under the Ministry of Health Nguyen Minh Tuan, and former head of the Department of Financial Planning under the Ministry of Health Nguyen Nam Lien.
Phan Quoc Viet, General Director of the Viet A Company, as well as his subordinate Vu Dinh Hiep, were charged with “violating bidding regulations, causing serious consequences” and “giving bribes.”
Phan Ton Noel Thao and Ho Thi Thanh Thao, finance assistant and treasurer of Viet A, faced the charge of “giving bribes.”
Chu Ngoc Anh, former Minister of Science and Technology, was charged with “violating regulations on the management and use of State assets, causing losses and wastefulness.”
The others include many officials of ministries, and People’s Committees or Party Committees, departments and CDC of 24 cities and provinces.
In December 2021, police arrested and initiated legal proceedings against Viet for raising the price of RT-PCR COVID-19 test kits and giving bribery to health officials to sell their test kits.
Viet and key leaders of the company had admitted to colluding with leaders of hospitals and Centres for Disease Control (CDCs) to supply COVID-19 test kits to hospitals and CDCs at prices set by the company, which were much higher than the production price.
The Ministry of Public Security’s Investigation Police Agency froze transactions and deposits and confiscated a total of around VND1.7 trillion (US$73.9 million) in connection with this case.
