Prosecution and temporary detention of former Chairman of Binh Thuan province Le Tien Phuong and many other defendants

Based on the investigation results of the case “Violation of regulations on management and use of State assets causing loss and waste” occurring at the Phan Thiet Beach Tourism Urban Area project in Phu Thuy Ward, Phan City Thiet, Binh Thuan province, invested by Rang Dong Joint Stock Company; On April 23, 2024, the Police Investigation Agency of the Ministry of Public Security issued a decision to prosecute the accused and criminal proceedings for 12 cases on the crime of “Violation of regulations on management and use of State assets”. causing loss and waste”, stipulated in Clause 3, Article 219 of the Penal Code, in which:

Issue a Decision to prosecute the defendant and order to arrest the defendant for temporary detention 05 cases, including:

– Le Tien Phuongformer Chairman of Binh Thuan Provincial People’s Committee;

–Xa Duong Thangformer Director of the Department of Construction, former Secretary of the Bac Binh District Party Committee, Binh Thuan province;

– Do Ngoc Diepformer Chairman of Phan Thiet City People’s Committee;

– Ho Nhu Haiformer Deputy Director of Southern Information and Valuation Joint Stock Company – Binh Thuan Branch, Price Appraiser;

–Le Anh Huyformer Head of the General Administration Department of the Land Management Department of Binh Thuan province;

Issued a Decision to prosecute the defendant and a Detention Order for 06 case:

– Nguyen Van Phongformer Deputy Director of the Department of Finance, former Standing Committee of the Land Price Appraisal Council, former Vice Chairman of the People’s Committee of Binh Thuan province;

– Ho Lamformer Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Binh Thuan province;

– Le Nguyen Thanh Danhformer Deputy Director of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment of Binh Thuan province;

– Nguyen Thanh Choformer Head of the Land Management Department of Binh Thuan province;

– Le Nam Hungformer Deputy Director of the Land Management Department of Binh Thuan province;

– Pham Duy Cuong, former Deputy Head in charge of Land Economics Department, Land Management Branch of Binh Thuan province; Former Head of Natural Resources and Environment Department of Phan Thiet City, Binh Thuan Province (Currently, 06 defendants are serving prison sentences in the case “Violation of regulations on management and use of State assets causing loss, waste and Irresponsibility causing serious consequences”, which occurred in Tan Viet Phat 2 commercial, service and residential area project, Binh Thuan province);

Issued a decision to prosecute the accused and a ban on leaving the place of residence for Nguyen Xuan Phong, former Deputy Director of the Tax Department of Binh Thuan province;

Order to search the residence of 6 defendants, including: Le Tien Phuong, Xa Duong Thang, Do Ngoc Diep; Ho Nhu Hai; Le Anh Huy; Nguyen Xuan Phong.

After being approved by the Supreme People’s Procuracy (Department 5), on April 25 and 26, 2024, the Police Department of the Ministry of Public Security organized the execution of orders and decided on criminal proceedings in accordance with regulations. legal regulations.

Previously, on March 1, 2023, the Ministry of Public Security issued a decision to prosecute a criminal case that occurred at the Phan Thiet Beach Tourism Urban Area project (Phu Thuy ward, Phan Thiet city, Binh Thuan province). . The Phan Thiet Beach Tourism Urban Area project (area of ​​62 hectares), invested by Rang Dong Joint Stock Company, has many violations. These violations were denounced by Mr. Dinh Trung – former member of the Party Central Committee and former Secretary of the Binh Thuan Provincial Party Committee – for many years.

According to Dan Viet newspaper, before Rang Dong Company implemented this project, on an area of ​​62 hectares of land was a Phan Thiet golf course, rented by a foreign investor from the state for a period of 50 years. Phan Thiet golf course has been in operation since 1997. Phan Thiet golf course land, according to planning, is land for physical education and sports.

However, on November 15, 2013, the People’s Committee of Binh Thuan province allowed the capital to be transferred and the new investor was Rang Dong Joint Stock Company. Very quickly, on December 2, 2013, Rang Dong Company applied to convert physical training and sports land to urban residential land, to “invest in construction and business of villas, garden houses, townhouses, and houses”. high-rise buildings and auxiliary works”. Then, in 2014, the People’s Committee of Binh Thuan province accepted the above conversion proposal. And, Rang Dong Company has issued a Notice to “terminate golf course operations from April 1, 2014”.

In the following years, Rang Dong Company continued to invest and build a series of villas, high-rise buildings, garden houses… Real estate transfer prices in the project area increased dozens of times. Although the speed of project construction increased rapidly, at the same time, many denunciations also stated: the Phan Thiet Beach Urban Area project had many land violations.

Among them, the Binh Thuan provincial government allowed the golf course to be transferred to an urban area, before reporting to the Prime Minister; The government does not require the investor to allocate 20% of the project’s land fund to build social housing, which is not in accordance with the law… In particular, the valuation of land use fees is not correct, posing a risk. causing losses in the state budget… For example: According to the Land Price List of Phan Thiet City issued by the People’s Committee of Binh Thuan Province: Land price on Nguyen Tat Thanh street is 11 million VND/m2, land price on Ton Duc Thang street is 14 million VND/m2… But Rang Dong Company paid land use fees of only nearly… 2.6 million VND/m2.

Some houses are being built on roads with completed infrastructure. According to Mr. Dinh Trung’s accusation, the current Phan Thiet Beach Tourism Urban Area project is mainly divided into plots for sale, contrary to the approved project of building and trading townhouses, villas, and high-rise buildings.

Two former Secretaries of the Binh Thuan Provincial Party Committee include: Mr. Huynh Van Ti (term 2010-2015) was disciplined with “Reprimand”, Mr. Nguyen Manh Hung (term 2015-2020) was disciplined with “Warning”. Particularly, Mr. Le Tien Phuong (Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee for the 2011-2016 term) was disciplined “Removed from his position in the Party and government”.

THAI VU

Search of Mr. Le Tien Phuong’s private house – Photo TT