On the afternoon of December 25, at the appeal trial of the “rescue flight” case, the panel of judges spent time questioning defendant Nguyen Thi Huong Lan (former Director of the Consular Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs ) about what she used the 25 billion VND in bribes for.

Defendant Nguyen Thi Huong Lan was accused of receiving bribes of more than VND25 billion and has paid back more than VND1 billion. At the first instance trial, the Hanoi People’s Court sentenced defendant Lan to life imprisonment. Defendant Lan appealed for a reduction of her criminal liability.

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Defendant Nguyen Thi Huong Lan (Photo: Contributor)

At today’s trial, defendant Lan admitted to receiving more than 25 billion VND from businesses, affecting the reputation and honor of the Party, the State, and the people. However, Ms. Lan said she could not remember the exact number of times she received the money, accepting the amount stated in the indictment and the first instance judgment.

In response to the panel of judges’ questions about where the more than 25 billion VND went and what the money was used for, a huge amount of money that has not yet been fully reimbursed, defendant Lan could not answer. The defendant could not remember clearly what he used the money for and his family had no money left to pay to redress the consequences of the case.

During nearly 10 minutes of questioning, the panel of judges repeatedly asked defendant Lan about the bribe amount of 25 billion VND, but Ms. Lan's answer was: "The defendant really wants to make amends, but the defendant's family no longer has the ability."

Defendant Do Hoang Tung (former deputy director of the Consular Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs ) received bribes of more than 12 billion VND. Mr. Tung was sentenced to 12 years in prison by the first instance court. After the first instance verdict, Mr. Tung appealed for a reduced sentence.

Defendant Tung said he had repented and only hoped that the panel of judges would consider his wrongdoings more objectively and comprehensively. The former deputy head of the Consular Department also urged his family to completely remedy the consequences.

Former Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Quang Nam Province, Tran Van Tan, was accused of accepting a bribe of VND5 billion and was sentenced to six years in prison by the first instance court. After the first instance verdict, Mr. Tan appealed for a reduction in his criminal liability.

Presenting himself in court today, Mr. Tan admitted his wrongdoings. Immediately after the incident, the defendant filed a statement declaring all his wrongdoings and actively cooperated with the investigation agency to remedy the consequences.

Defendant Tan also presented a number of details in the hope that the panel of judges would consider mitigating his sentence, such as: Having many achievements in work; having made efforts to create conditions for 40,000 citizens returning to Vietnam from abroad to be quarantined in Quang Nam; having received petitions from many organizations to reduce his sentence...