Former CDC Hue Accountant Admits Receiving Bribes in Test Kit Scandal, Cleared of Criminal Liability

Ha Thuc Nhat, the former chief accountant for the Hue Center for Disease Control (CDC), has been tried for "violating regulations on bidding causing serious consequences" in connection with the procurement of COVID-19 test kits from Viet A Company. The trial took place at the People's Court of District 1 in Hue City.

According to the indictment, during the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak, CDC Hue was tasked with testing and screening. Under the direction of the then-director, Hoang Van Duc, Nhat helped prepare documents for a simplified bidding process to purchase test kits manufactured by Viet A Company. The contract was valued at over 2.625 billion Vietnamese dong.

Investigations revealed that the approval of the contractor selection plan was improperly handled, and the appraisal documents lacked legal basis, as the appraisal certificate was issued after the plan's approval. The indictment concluded that CDC Hue had unilaterally approved the contractor selection plan, exceeding its authority, which belonged to the Chairman of the Thua Thien Hue Provincial People's Committee. Both Hoang Van Duc and Ha Thuc Nhat were held responsible for these violations.

The investigation also found that Viet A Company offered "thank you" money to CDC Hue leadership after the contract was fulfilled. While Director Hoang Van Duc refused 150 million Vietnamese dong, Nhat admitted to receiving 100 million dong from this sum. He later received an additional 168 million dong from Viet A Company in 2021 for three other test kit procurement packages. In total, Nhat received 268 million dong and voluntarily returned it to investigators.

The court determined that the actual cost of the test kits was significantly lower than the purchase price, causing a state budget loss of over 1.749 billion Vietnamese dong due to the violations in the bidding process. Regarding Hoang Van Duc, the court found that despite his procedural violations, he lacked a profit motive, did not accept any illicit payments from Viet A Company, and had a commendable record in epidemic prevention. Consequently, the People's Procuracy of Hue City decided to dismiss the case against him and exempt him from criminal liability.

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violating regulations on bidding causing serious consequences