Former Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam Dang Thanh Binh (Photo: VNA)HCM City (VNA) – Thehigh-level court in Ho Chi Minh City on December 5 opened an appeal trial onthe case of former Deputy Governor of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) DangThanh Binh and four accomplices in connection with the economic losses of over15 trillion VND (656.2 million USD) at the Vietnam Construction Bank (VNCB).
At the first-instance trial onJuly 2 this year, Binh was sentenced to three years in prison on the charge oflacking responsibility causing serious consequences at the VNCB (now theConstruction Bank). He appealed against the ruling, saying that it was notaccurate when defining him as the key defendant in the case.
On the same charge, Ha TanPhuoc, former head of the SBV supervision group and former Deputy Director ofthe SBV branch in Long An, received two years in jail, while Le Van Thanh,former Chief Inspector of the SBV branch in Long An got two and a half years, NgoVan Thanh, former member of the SBV supervision group, - one and a half years;and Pham The Tuan, former deputy head of the SBV supervision group, - one year.Those four defendants asked for reduced sentences.
According to the jury at the first-instancetrial, Binh, who was assigned to assist the SBV Governor in instructing therestructuring of six weak banks including Dai Tin Bank (the predecessor ofVNCB), allowed Pham Cong Danh and his accomplices to join the management workand hold dominant shares at the VNCB, which enabled them commit violations oflaw, causing serious losses to the VNCB.
Also, as the person in charge ofthe SBV’s supervision agency and legal department, Binh had received reports onviolations at the VNCB but he failed to make any instructions or decisions toend the violations.
Other defendants, who weremembers of the supervision group, had failed to properly do their duties, allowingPham Cong Danh and his accomplices to withdraw money from the bank, causingserious consequences.
The appeal trial will last untilDecember 11.-VNA
VNA
