A second group of individuals is facing prosecution in Vietnam for alleged bribery connected to repatriation flights during the COVID-19 pandemic, marking the latest development in a wide-ranging corruption scandal that has rocked the nation’s political landscape, Bloomberg reports.
Seventeen defendants appeared in a Hanoi court this week, charged with offenses including bribery, failing to report a crime, and abuse of power, according to local newspaper Tien Phong. The accused include former officials from the Ministry of Transport and various provincial authorities.
This trial comes amidst a broader anti-graft campaign that has swept through Vietnam, reaching the highest echelons of government. The crackdown has resulted in the resignation of two presidents, three deputy prime ministers, and the detention of numerous senior officials and business executives.
The scandal’s reach extends to former President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who stepped down in early 2023. Earlier this month, he received a disciplinary “warning” for violating anti-corruption regulations. His resignation was tied to taking “political responsibility” for graft related to the repatriation flights and a separate case involving a COVID-19 test kit manufacturer.
This second trial follows the sentencing of 54 officials and businesspeople in the first phase of the case last year, including four former government officials who received life sentences. Some of those initial convictions were later reduced on appeal.
During the height of the pandemic, Vietnam implemented strict border closures, allowing only returning citizens to enter the country. The government authorized over 1,000 repatriation flights, bringing home more than 200,000 Vietnamese nationals, as reported by Nguoi Lao Dong. Investigators allege that bribes were paid to secure seats on these flights, taking advantage of the high demand and limited availability.
The current trial is expected to last eight days, according to reports.
