People's Procuracy urges deeper investigation in illegal public land lease case

The Supreme People's Procuracy had earlier returned the file requesting a closer look into the violations committed by Tai’s accomplices and, this time, into the consequences of the case.

Tai was prosecuted and detained in late 2018 for his alleged involvement with illegal leases and the transfer of nearly 5,000 square meters of land in HCMC’s central business district.

His accomplices, Nguyen Hoai Nam, former secretary of the District 2 Party Committee; Dao Anh Kiet, former director of the HCMC Department of Natural Resources and Environment; Truong Van Ut, ex-deputy head of the Land Management Division at the department; and Le Thi Thanh Thuy, chairwoman of May Flower Investment Co., Ltd, and Lavenue Investment Corporation, were charged with violating regulations on the management and use of State capital with serious consequences.

According to investigators, HCMC Housing Development and Trading Co., Ltd, was appointed to manage and lease some 5,000 square meters of land at 8-12 Le Duan Boulevard, District 1.

However, Tai signed several documents allowing May Flower Investment Co., Ltd, to contribute 30% in charter capital to a project at the site, as proposed by HCMC Housing Development and Trading Co., Ltd, and the municipal Department of Natural Resources and Environment, without evaluating the company’s experience and financial capacity.

Tai, who was in charge of the city’s planning, architecture and housing management, was aware that the use and management of the land had to be decided by Steering Committee 09, which was in charge of the rearrangement and handling of public houses and land. He also signed a decision illegally leasing the land to Lavenue Investment Corporation.

Investigators concluded that the violations committed by Tai and his four accomplices caused a loss of VND4.78 billion for the State.