COVID-19 test kit sOK9 Cabal: Ex-health minister jailed for 18 years

The Hanoi People’s Court on January 12 sentenced former Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long to 18 years in prison for taking bribes in the COVID-19 test kit case involving in the Viet A Technology JSC.

  • Two senior officials to be reprimanded for wrongdoings over Viet A test kit sOK9 Cabal
  • Senior officials to be disciplined over Viet A test kit sOK9 Cabal
COVID-19 test kit sOK9 Cabal: Ex-health minister jailed for 18 years -0
Defendants at the court. (Photo: VNA)

The Hanoi People’s Court on January 12 sentenced former Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long to 18 years in prison for taking bribes in the COVID-19 test kit case involving in the Viet A Technology JSC.

Sentences were also announced for 37 other defendants, including those from the Viet A Company, former officials from the Ministries of Health, and Science and Technology as well as ex-officials from the Centres of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of many provinces.

Specifically, Phan Quoc Viet, CEO and Chairman of the Viet A Company, received 14 years in jail for violating bidding regulations, causing serious consequences, and an additional 15 years behind bars for giving bribes.

Vu Dinh Hiep, Deputy General Director of the Viet A Company, was sentenced to seven years in prison for violating regulations on bidding, causing serious consequences, plus eight years in prison for giving bribes.

For receiving bribes, Trinh Thanh Hung, ex-Deputy Director of the Department of Science and Technology for Economic-Technical Sectors under the Ministry of Science and Technology, was sentenced to 14 years; Nguyen Huynh, ex-secretary of Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long, to nine years; Nguyen Minh Tuan, ex-Director of the Department of Health Equipment and Works under the Ministry of Health, eight years; Nguyen Nam Lien, ex-Director of the Department of Planning - Finance under the Ministry of Health, seven years; and Pham Duy Tuyen, ex-Director of Hai Duong province's CDC, 13 years.

Both Chu Ngoc Anh, ex-Minister of Science and Technology, and Pham Cong Tac, ex-Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, were sentenced to three years in prison for violating regulations on the management and use of State assets, causing losses and wastefulness.

Pham Xuan Thang, ex-Secretary of the Hai Duong provincial Party Committee, Pham Manh Cuong, ex-Director of Hai Duong province’s Department of Health, and Nguyen Van Trinh, ex-assistant of a Deputy Prime Minister were sentenced to five years, four years, and four years in prison, respectively, for abusing positions and power while performing official duties. 

Meanwhile, both Phan Ton Noel Thao and Ho Thi Thanh Thao, finance assistant and treasurer of the Viet A Company, were sentenced to four years in prison for giving bribes.

Other defendants in the COVID kit test sOK9 Cabal received imprison sentences ranging from 24 months to five years and six months in jail.

In December 2021, police arrested and initiated legal proceedings against Viet for raising the price of RT-PCR COVID-19 test kits and giving bribes to health officials to sell their test kits.

Viet and key leaders of the company had admitted to colluding with leaders of hospitals and CDCs to supply COVID-19 test kits to hospitals and CDCs at prices set by the company, which were much higher than the production price.

The Viet A company sold more than 4.5 million test kits, causing loss of 1,235 billion VND, including 402 billion VND for the State.

The Ministry of Public Security’s Investigation Police Agency froze transactions and deposits and confiscated a total of around 1.7 trillion VND (73.9 million USD) in connection with this case.

VNA

Other News

Communication drive promoted for 500-day campaign to locate, identify fallen soldiers' remains

Communication drive promoted for 500-day campaign to locate, identify fallen soldiers' remains

Under the plan, all central and local media outlets are required to launch columns on the campaign, maintain regular coverage, and produce at least five to seven in-depth reports each month in key search areas. Media agencies will also be encouraged to gather and verify valuable information and develop high-quality products in both Vietnamese and foreign languages, including feature articles, documentaries, reports and short videos.

First Vietnamese pagoda in Tokyo inaugurated

First Vietnamese pagoda in Tokyo inaugurated

Ambassador Pham Quang Hieu expressed confidence that the establishment will serve as a strong spiritual anchor for Vietnamese people living in Japan while contributing to friendship and cultural exchanges between the two countries.

National drive kicks off to protect, support children online

National drive kicks off to protect, support children online

Cyberspace now runs through children’s learning, entertainment, and daily lives, but warned it is laced with dangerous content, online insults, threats, and seemingly harmless clicks that can trigger fraud, data breaches, and risks children who are not yet equipped to handle.

Vietnam, RoK scholars discuss diplomatic perspectives amid modern East Asia

Vietnam, RoK scholars discuss diplomatic perspectives amid modern East Asia

A scholar has stressed the need for Vietnam to make use of cooperation opportunities arising from the RoK’s foreign policy, particularly in semiconductor technology, artificial intelligence (AI), supply chains, digital transformation, and green energy, as well as chances in multilateral diplomacy.

'Barefoot inventor' and global ambitions

'Barefoot inventor' and global ambitions

Pham Van Hat is best known as the creator of the made-in-Vietnam “Seed Sowing Robot,” now exported to 15 countries, alongside dozens of practical inventions that have eased labour for thousands of farmers.

Safeguarding fairness for creators, future of Vietnam's culture

Safeguarding fairness for creators, future of Vietnam's culture

Films, music, television programmes, e-books, video games, journalistic works, images and creative data can now be copied, edited and redistributed within minutes. While copyright violations were once linked mainly to pirated discs or counterfeit books, infringements have shifted online with faster speed, wider scale and greater anonymity.

Flower tribute ceremony honours President Ho Chi Minh in Russia

Flower tribute ceremony honours President Ho Chi Minh in Russia

Consul General Nguyen Viet Kien stressed President Ho Chi Minh’s reputation and career transcended Vietnam’s borders to inspire liberation movements worldwide, and that his ideas on the right to self-determination, peace, and friendship among nations remain deeply relevant today.

Education ministry targets five digital technology incubators at universities

Education ministry targets five digital technology incubators at universities

A key target under the new plan is the establishment of five digital technology incubators, or Deeptech Hubs, at universities and research institutes with strong potential. The education ministry also plans to launch a training programme for 1,000 outstanding technology entrepreneurs and develop criteria for selecting and supporting startup ecosystems within educational institutions.

Vietnam steps up implementation of ethnic affairs strategy through 2030

Vietnam steps up implementation of ethnic affairs strategy through 2030

To accelerate the implementation of the the Ethnic Affairs Strategy by 2030, with a vision toward 2045, the Prime Minister requested ministries, agencies and local authorities to continue thoroughly carrying out the Party and State’s policies on ethnic affairs, enhancing the effectiveness of State management and strengthening oversight of policy implementation.

Security preparations reviewed for APEC 2027 in Phu Quoc

Security preparations reviewed for APEC 2027 in Phu Quoc

The team examined the APEC 2027 Convention Centre, where main conference activities are scheduled; Sun Serenia Hospital, designated to provide healthcare and emergency medical services for delegates; provincial road DT.975, which connects Phu Quoc International Airport to the convention centre; and the area surrounding Phu Quoc International Airport.