General Secretary ordered to push up the progress of corruption cases

As many as 125 corruption cases involving 259 people have been investigated and prosecuted since early this year, the Central Steering Committee for Corruption Prevention and Control reported on Wednesday.

A meeting was hosted by the committee under the chair of Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng to discuss the future anti-corruption work and tasks.

A total of VNĐ4 trillion (US$174.2 million) has been reclaimed from corruption cases during the first four months of this year.

Among people prosecuted since early this year, eight are officials working for central agencies including a deputy minister, a former deputy minister, a former provincial People’s Committee Chairman, and five generals in the military.

Speaking at the meeting, Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng highlighted the achievements and lessons learned, noting that the committee has strengthened the corruption fight in new fields or fields where corruption persist like land, finance, and the stock market.

The corruption situation in some fields is serious and very complicated with the connection between corrupted officials and companies and organisations, said the committee which also noted loopholes in policies and laws in some fields.

The committee ordered relevant authorities to strengthen the corruption prevention cause and strictly handle corruption acts and wrongdoings among officials and civil servants.

It ordered the bodies competent to conduct the proceedings to remove difficulties and obstacles, speed up investigations, prosecutions, and trials, and handle cases falling under the supervision of the Steering Committee.

The committee also set the target to complete the investigation into 19 cases, prosecution of 21 cases, the first-instance trial of 24 cases, and the appeal trial of six cases completed by the end of 2022.

The committee also directed authorities to strictly handle wrongdoings related to serious cases that attract great public attention including the Việt Á case (regarding bidding violations, bribery, abusing power while on duty, and embezzlement), Military Medical University case (involving embezzlement, abusing power while on duty and bidding violations), and Việt Nam Coast Guard case (involving abusing power while on duty, and embezzlement).

The committee also put five cases under closer watch including the Consular Department case (involving giving and receiving bribes), the FLC case (involving stock market manipulation), and the Tân Hoàng Minh case (involving fraud).