Vicem Ex-Leaders Get Reduced Sentences After Paying Additional 119 Billion Dong

A higher court in Vietnam has reduced prison sentences for six former leaders and officials of the Vietnam Cement Corporation (Vicem), along with three other individuals, following their appeal. The ruling came after the defendants and their families paid an additional 119 billion Vietnamese dong (approximately $4.7 million) to address the consequences of their actions.

The case centers on a project for a command and transaction center, initially invested at over 1,200 billion dong (around $47 million), which has since become an abandoned concrete structure. The appellate court's decision noted the significant effort made by the defendants to compensate for the damages, a factor deemed particularly important in their sentencing.

Among those receiving reduced sentences was former project manager Hoang Ngoc Long, whose 12 years and 6 months were cut to 9 years. Former Chairman and General Director Le Van Chung saw his sentence reduced from 13 years to 10 years. The former General Director, Nguyen Ngoc Anh, who received the harshest sentence in the initial trial, will now serve 13 years instead of 15.

The court also considered the advanced age and poor health of several defendants. Four of the nine appellants were over 70 years old, with some suffering from serious illnesses. Notably, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Anh, 73, who appeared in a wheelchair during the first trial, was absent from the appeal hearing due to advanced-stage cancer treatment. The court acknowledged these circumstances, along with difficult family situations and contributions to national service by some relatives, as grounds for leniency. Despite the reduced sentences, the court emphasized that the defendants' crimes caused severe consequences and significant state asset losses, meaning they must still fulfill their restitution obligations.