Arrest of the director and deputy director of the Company in the bidding case for the purchase of educational equipment

On March 12, 2023, the Investigation Police Agency of Ha Tinh Province issued a decision to prosecute the case, and at the same time issued decisions to prosecute the accused, arrest warrants to detain Nguyen Thanh Thuy (born in 1971) - Director and Tran Van Tuan (born in 1978) - Deputy Director of Lam Hong IT Joint Stock Company for the crime of "Violating bidding regulations causing serious consequences" occurring at the Ha Tinh Provincial Public Finance Consulting and Services Center, Lam Hong IT Joint Stock Company and related units according to Article 222 of the Penal Code.

anh-3.-bat.jpg — *The competent authority serves the decision to prosecute and temporarily detain the subject.*

The decisions to prosecute the accused and the arrest warrant for temporary detention were approved by the People's Procuracy of Ha Tinh province. Immediately afterwards, the Investigation Police Agency searched the residence and workplace of Nguyen Thanh Thuy and Tran Van Tuan to collect documents and evidence to serve the investigation of the case.

It is known that this is the result of the process of expanding the investigation of the case related to violations in the procurement ofeducational equipment at the Department of Education and Training and the Center for Public Financial Consulting and Services of Ha Tinh province in the recent past.

Previously, on September 13, 2022, the Ha Tinh Provincial Inspectorate issued Inspection Conclusion No. 320/KL-UBND pointing out a series of irregularities in the bidding and procurement of educational equipment in Ha Tinh province, period 2017 - 2019.

Accordingly, during this period, the Department of Education and Training of Ha Tinh implemented 17 bidding packages for the procurement of teaching and learning equipment, with a total contract value of more than 250 billion VND. Of which, 15 bidding packages were centrally purchased, with a total value of more than 240 billion VND, and the Department of Education and Training itself purchased 2 bidding packages. During the process of bidding for the supply of educational equipment, the winning bidders exchanged appendices in the documents; legalized the winning bid price and contract price.

image-4.-detention.jpg — *Authorities searched the subject's workplace.*

The asset valuation work is still lacking, the bidding package has an unusually high price compared to the import price and the distributor's selling price, causing a loss to the State budget. Comparing the import price and the resale price to the Department of Education and Training of Ha Tinh, the difference in the amount of these educational equipment procurement packages is up to more than 60 billion VND.

There are 7 enterprises related to these bidding packages under investigation, including: Hong Ha Trading Joint Stock Company, P&T Investment Joint Stock Company, Lam Hong Technology Joint Stock Company, H-PEC Vietnam Joint Stock Company, Technology Application & Telecommunication Services Joint Stock Company, Bao Toan Joint Stock Company and Van Xuan Joint Stock Company.

The case is continuing to be investigated and clarified for handling according to the provisions of law.

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