Admiral Nguyen Van Hien, Vietnam’s former deputy minister of defense, will be brought to a military trial on May 18 for mismanagement of military land, causing a loss worth VND940 billion (US$40.8 million).

Admiral Nguyen Van Hien, former deputy minister of defense and Commander of the Navy. Photo: Zing

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

Under the indictment, Hien, while in his capacity as Commander of the Navy, signed documents that allowed a private joint venture to use three land lots for 49 years in a deal with the Navy, going against rules by the Ministry of Defense, the government, and the Law on Land.

His irresponsibility led to the illegal transfer of three land lots which are situated in Ton Duc Thang Street, District 1, one of the prime central business district streets in in Ho Chi Minh City.

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

Since the transfer was illegal, the Military Procuracy requested the requisition of those lots of land and return them to the Navy.