The Thai Nguyen Province Court on March 26 convicted 29 defendants who were accused of smuggling drugs, bribery and fraud in the biggest drug related case of the province.
Male defendants listened to their verdict on March 26. (Photo by Quoc Do)
Among the convicted, four were sentenced to the death penalty. They are Nguyen Van Dua, born in 1967; Le Duc May, born in 1972; Nguyen Thi Hao, born in 1973 and Nguyen Dang Lap, born in 1959. Twelve were sentenced to life in prison. They are Nguyen Cong Vien, born in 1966; Nguyen Dang Binh (brother of Hao), born in 1976; Bui Thi Bich Phuong, born in 1962; Nguyen Thanh Binh (husband of Phuong), born in 1967; Tran Thi Van, born in 1962; Vu Thi Xuyen (mother of Hao and Binh) born in 1950; Le Thi Mo (wife of Vien), born in 1968; Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy (wife of Lap) born in 1961; Nguyen Thi Loan, born in 1974; Nguyen Thi Sinh (sister of Loan) born in 1967, Tran Thi Thanh Ha, born in 1968 and Nguyen Thi Bien, born in 1967.
In addition, three defendants will be put in jail for 20 years, one will spend 16 years in prison, one will stay behind bars for 10 years and one will be imprisoned for 3 years.
The court convicted heavier punishment than prosecutors who suggested the death penalty for three, and life for seven. Nguyen Dang Lap was charged the death penalty instead of a life sentence because he has been accused of smuggling a huge amount of drugs and earlier he was convicted as a criminal and put in jail for 36 months for the same crime.
In regards to the accusation of giving and receiving bribes, defendant Le Trung Tien (who was an inspector) was sentenced 7 years in prison. Defendants Luong Tuan Anh (who was an investigator) and Nguyen Van Dung were charged 4 years in prison. Dinh Thi Hoa (who was a judge) was issued a suspended sentence of 22 months.
In addition, each defendant involved in smuggling drugs will be fined VND300 million ($15,800).
The case was uncovered in 2006 with a clue sparked from a case of fraud committed by Nguyen Van Dua, born in 1967 living at Northern Linh Dam, Hanoi. He was dismissed from the police force.
Earlier, he helped Nguyen Thi La, one of his relatives living at Thuan Chau District, Son La, to give a bribe with an aim of lessening the punishment of her husband who was convicted to the death sentence in a drug related case. He received VND420 million ($22,000) from La but did not help her and then was denounced by La. With an accusation from La, the Investigation Police Department (C17) under the Ministry of Police conducted an investigation and found out that he had smuggled drugs on a large scale.
His accomplices included Nguyen Dang Lap, Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy, Nguyen Thi Hao, Nguyen Dang Binh, Vu Thi Xuyen, Nguyen Thi Hue, Nguyen Van Hung, Nguyen Thi Thao, Le Duc May, Bui Thi Bich Phuong, Le Thi Mo, Nguyen Cong Vien, Nguyen Thi Sinh and Nguyen Van Thang.
Female defendants at the court (Photo by Quoc Do)
