Hanoi charges officials with graft

Hanoi charges officials with graft

VIETNAM: Vietnam has charged two vice ministers of agriculture
for irresponsibility in a corruption case that caused losses of
US$7.48 million to the government, state media reported on
Friday.

The official Hanoi Moi (New Hanoi) daily said state
prosecutors have pressed charges against former vice ministers
Nguyen Thien Luan and Nguyen Quang Ha for causing state property
losses.

Prosecutors accused Luan and Ha along with another six
government employees in a corruption case centered on La Thi Kim
Oanh, 48. The six were charged with embezzlement of state
property, abusing power and irresponsibility.

In March state media cited police investigation reports as
saying Oanh, director of an agriculture ministry-run company, and
accomplices used bank loans for bribery and personal expenses,
resulting in total losses of $7.48 million to the state.

Police reports say Ha and Luan signed various documents which
helped Oanh obtain bank loans.

If found guilty, the two could be jailed for up to 12 years.
-- Reuters