Vietnamese Officials Accused of Covering Up Fatal Accident Blame

An investigation into former police and prosecutor officials in the former Tra On district of Vinh Long province has concluded, revealing allegations of deliberately obstructing justice in a fatal traffic accident case. The investigation by the Supreme People's Procuracy's Investigation Agency focused on accusations of 'not prosecuting a guilty person.'

The case stems from a traffic accident on September 4, 2024, where truck driver Nguyễn Văn Bảo Trung, 34, fatally struck 14-year-old student N.N.B.T. while overtaking unsafely and encroaching on the opposite lane. Evidence, including accident scene diagrams, driver testimony, and witness accounts, initially identified the truck driver as solely responsible for the accident.

However, the investigation report details how six former officials allegedly manipulated the case. These individuals, including the former Deputy Head of the Tra On District Police's Criminal Investigation Agency, Lê Quốc Việt, and the former Head of the District Police, Nguyễn Hoàng Văn, are accused of shifting the blame from the truck driver to the deceased student. This alleged cover-up was reportedly influenced by a 10-year acquaintance between the driver's family and one of the accused officials, who had allegedly asked for leniency for the driver.

The report outlines specific evidence of the driver's culpability, including violations of safe overtaking rules and a failure to observe oncoming traffic. The student, N., who was on an electric bicycle, reportedly tried to warn the truck driver, but Trung failed to react, leading to the fatal collision. The accused officials allegedly directed false reports and colluded to misrepresent the initial findings, thereby attempting to shield the driver from criminal responsibility.