General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and State President Nguyen Phu Trong has urged local authorities to handle five high-profile corruption cases within this year, the government said on its website.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam and State President Nguyen Phu Trong at the meeting on May 26. Photo: VGP

Judicial authorities need to investigate individuals and organizations involved in the cases of Nhat Cuong Trading & Services Co. Ltd, Vietnam Express Corporation (VEC), Saigon Agricultural Corporation (Sagri), Saigon Beer-Alcohol-Beverage Corporation (Sabeco), and Thai Nguyen Iron and Steel JSC (TISCO), the president said at a meeting of the Central Steering Committee on Anti-corruption on May 26.

The aforementioned cases have been mentioned in different anti-corruption meetings by the committee, which is led by President Trong, as many alleged offenders of the cases are senior leaders, including a member of the Politburo, the country’s most powerful body.

Trong made the request at a time when the CPV is preparing for the National Congress, slated for early 2021.

Infringers of Nhat Cuong Co. is blamed for smuggling, violating regulations on accounting that caused serious consequences, money laundering, and violating regulations on bidding that caused serious consequences.

VEC is accused of violating regulations on construction that caused serious consequences in the execution of the Danang – Quang Ngai expressway project.

Sagri is prosecuted for violating regulations on management and use of state assets that led to losses or wastefulness, and is charged with embezzlement.

Officials of Sabeco allegedly violated regulations on land management.

TISCO is incriminated for violating regulations on investment in construction that cause serious consequences, and violating regulations on management and use of state assets that caused losses.

At the meeting, the Party chief asked authorized agencies from now through the year-end to complete investigations of 13 cases, initiate probe of 17 cases, bring to trial 21 cases, hold appeal court on seven cases, and handle 18 cases.

In the first four months this year, the prosecution authorities ended investigations into eight cases with 49 defendants, issued indictments for four cases with 30 defendants, brought to court six cases with 17 defendants, and held appeal court on three cases with 34 defendants.

Authorized agencies seized nearly VND7.6 trillion (U$330 million) in misappropriated assets, blocked transactions of VND773 billion (US$33.6 million) and US$2.2 million, and 34 real estate projects.

The Committee of Disciplinary Control proposed authorized agencies take action against a Politburo member, a former member of the CPV’s Central Committee, and two former deputy ministers.