In addition, the two were sentenced to 18-years imprisonment for intentionally violating State regulations on economic management causing severe consequences. 

The court also rejected the appeal of Tran Huu Chieu, former Vice General Director of Vinalines, and Tran Hai Son, Director of Vinalines Ship Repair Co. Ltd, who were sentenced to 19 years and 22 years, respectively, behind bars on the same charges. 

At the same time, the court kept the sentences of seven years in prison to Mai Van Khang, a member of the Vinalines project management board, and Le Van Duong, a former official at the Vietnam Registry, for intentionally violating State regulations on economic management causing severe consequences. 
 

Former Vinalines boss Duong Chi Dung in a white shirt  in the courtroom

It accepted appeals lodged by Huynh Huu Duc, Le Ngoc Trien and Le Van Lung, former officials at Van Phong Customs Office, the central province of Khanh Hoa , reducing their sentences from eight to six years. 

Regarding civil liability, the original verdict for Dung, Phuc, Son and Chieu was upheld, under which the four were ordered to pay back over VND28 billion (US$1.33 million) they had embezzled as well as joining other defendants in paying nearly VND326 billion (US$15.5 million) in total for the damage they had caused for Vinalines. 

Before giving out the ruling, the jury affirmed that the accused intentionally violated State regulations on investment, bidding and customs procedures through the purchase and repair of Floating Dock 83M, causing serious damage for the State budget. 

Those violations aimed to appropriate US$1.666 million from buying the floating dock from the Singapore-based AP company, it concluded. 

The jury made the conclusion after considering documents provided by lawyers, testimonies of the accused and presentations by others at the trial, which began on April 24.