Admiral Nguyen Van Hien, former Vietnamese deputy defense minister, today [May 18] was brought to a military court for mismanagement of military land in the southern metropolis of Ho Chi Minh City.

Admiral Nguyen Van Hien, former Vietnamese deputy defense minister, at the court on May 18. Photo: Thongtanquansu

Hien, who was commander of the Navy, is charged of “irresponsibility causing serious consequences” under Article 360 of the Criminal Code and faces a jail sentence to between 7 and 12 years.

In his capacity as Commander of the Navy, the admiral allowed the transfer of the navy’s land lots, causing a loss worth VND940 billion (US$40.8 million) to the state.

At the trial, the admiral was brought to the court with four former senior colonels who are incriminated with violating regulations on land management, and three others are accused of swindling to appropriate assets.

Dinh Ngoc He, aka Ut troc, a defendant at the court on May 18. Photo: Thongtanquansu

The court, which takes place in Hanoi, were also attended by 24 lawyers for defendants and 11 witnesses.

Under the indictment, Hien signed documents that allowed a private joint venture to use three land lots of total 7,300 square meters for 49 years in deals with the Navy. The land lots are situated in Ton Duc Thang Street, District 1, one of the prime central business district streets in Ho Chi Minh City.

At present, the Navy Forces lost the possession of those land lots.

Born in 1954, Hien was a deputy defense minister in 2009-2016, Commander of the Navy, a deputy of the National Assembly, and the second admiral in Vietnam with ranking equivalent to Lieutenant General in army.