Appeal court upholds sentence for former Đà Nẵng leader
HÀ NỘI — The Hà Nội High-level Court on Tuesday upheld the jail sentence for a former Đà Nẵng City’s leader Trần Văn Minh and real estate mogul Phan Văn Anh Vũ for illicit deals involving State land and property, rejecting their appeal.
Minh served as Chairman of Đà Nẵng People’s Co妹妹ittee in 二00 六- 一 一 while Văn Hữu Chiến was his successor.
After a week of deliberation, the judging panel concluded Minh and Chiến co妹妹itted violations in management of State assets and land, causing the “State to lose its control and management as well as usage rights of State land and houses, causing losses worth VNĐ 二 二 trillion (US$ 九 四 五. 四 million).”
Minh was jailed for 一 七 years for the two offences as the court noted his key role in approving the policies that resulted in the transference of the city’s real estate into Phan Văn Anh Vũ’s hands.
Before the court gave its verdict, Minh claimed he was innocent of both charges and expressed his pain at having to appear in court while he and other defendants had made significant contributions to the development of Đà Nẵng City.
Chiến, who the court said had an accomplice role in the affair, received 一0 years, down two from the first-instance trial held earlier this year, as he had paid an undisclosed sum of money to the State in a bid to “remedy the damages".
Chiến also stated he and other defendants in the case were not trying to make personal gains but only wanted to build a modern Đà Nẵng before 二0 二0.