HAOI: On January 3, 37 people, including Vietnam’s former health minister, were put on trial in Hanoi for alleged involvement in creating and dispersing expensive COVID-19 check products.
Senior officials reportedly facilitated several million dollars deals to provide hospitals and nearby communities with testing equipment at greatly raised prices during the Viet A scandal, which is named after the semi-private company that produced the kits.
Pictures of the accused being escorted by armed police to the Hanoi courthouse were posted on state press. They were all wearing masks.
Former Hanoi president Chu Ngoc Anh and former health minister Nguyen Thanh Long, who is accused of accepting bribes for US$ 2.25 million, were among them. Both men were charged with “violating restrictions on administration of state property.”
In connection with the incident, at least 100 officials and businessmen have been detained across the nation.
According to estimates, the fraud brought in about US$ 172 million for Viet A, of which US$ 34 million was reportedly used to bribe officials.
Viet A produced 8.7 million exam products during the pandemic, the majority of which were sent to health services nationwide, according to state media.
CEO of the company Phan Quoc Viet was given a 25-year prison term for abuse of power and breaking selling rules last week in Hanoi.
At the three-week test that started on Wednesday, he will face additional charges.
Vietnam was first well-known throughout the world for its successful efforts to contain the coronavirus crisis.
However, authorities were found to be taking money from businesses that were planning community testing and relocation flights.
Three officials were given life sentences last year for corruption and corruption-related offenses, while dozens more received long prison terms.
Additionally, Pham Binh Minh and Vu Duc Dam were fired from their jobs as deputy prime ministers by the nation’s rubber-stamp national council in 2022.
While Dam was in charge of managing the COVID- 19 reaction within the nation’s borders, Minh, the foreign affairs minister, took the initiative in setting up flights to deliver Asian home from abroad.
According to a party central committee statement made at the time, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc” took political responsibility” for various officials ‘ shortcomings during the purge, which was spearheaded by the Communist Party’s General Secretary Nigge Pho Trong.