An official from the Oriental Commercial Joint Stock Bank (OCB) was suspended for taking a large bribe for a loan approval.
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| Nguyen Ngoc Han, Director of the Phuoc Thoi transaction office of Oriental Commercial Joint Stock Bank\'s Tay Do branch received a VND200-million bribe from Duong Van Ta for a loan approval. (Illustration photo) |
The official allegedly asked for a kickback of VND200 million (USD9,600) on a mortgage loan of VND800 million (USD38,460). The case, involving the director of transaction office of an OCB branch in Can Tho City, Nguyen Ngoc Han, was outed by the customer, Duong Van Ta.
Dirty money
Ta said an acquaintance introduced him to two men, "D" and "P", who said they could help him complete procedures to obtain his VND800 million mortgage.
Several days later, the men told Ta that the bank had approved the loan, but he had to pay VND40 million (USD1,920) for their services, on top of VND200 million to the bank\'s transaction office director.
Ta eventually accepted the proposal.
Afterwards the two "brokers" took Ta to meet Nguyen Ngoc Han, Director of the Phuoc Thoi transaction office of OCB’s Tay Do branch. At the first meeting, Ta handed over VND200 million in exchange for a mortgage contract from Han.
At their next meeting Han confirmed that the contract was legal and binding, and the loan would be paid out on September 20. However Ta never received the money.
Han later claimed that the problem with the mortgage was due to the plot of land, which, she said, was under dispute. All of these meetings were arranged at a cafe, and not at the bank itself.
One week after the promised loan did not materialise, Ta sent a letter to the bank and began legal proceedings against Han.
Suspension
Nguyen Huu Tai, Director of the branch, said that as soon as they were informed of these activities, they scrutinised Ta\'s mortgage and found that Han had committed violations. He said that they immediately put her on temporary suspension.
Han has not admitted to taking the bribe, and Ta does not have any receipt to prove that he paid the money.
Tai, the director of the bank branch, said, "We have informed Ta that the we are awaiting the results of a full investigation by the police," adding that the relationship between Han and the two brokers is also being looked into.
Any further disciplinary measures will be taken after the police investigation is complete.
