Two former Vietnamese information ministers have been
charged with corruption, state media reported Tuesday, a charge which
in the country carries the death sentence.
Nguyen Bac Son, who served as information minister from 2011-2016,
was charged with "violating the regulations on management and use of
public investment capital" and "taking bribes," state media reported.
Truong Minh Tuan, who served first as Son's deputy and then replaced
him in the role until he was suspended last July, was charged with
the same crimes.
Son admitted receiving a three-million-dollar bribe as a kickback for
facilitating a now-cancelled deal in which the mobile carrier
MobiFone acquired a 95-per-cent stake in pay TV firm AVG, Tuoi Tre
newspaper reported, citing police.
Son, at the time information minister, approved the acquisition
without approval from the prime minister's office.
Tuan, who as his deputy signed off on the decision, admitted
receiving a 200,000-dollar bribe from AVG former chairman Nhat Vu,
the Tuoi Tre report said.
The deal was found to have caused a 307-million-dollar hole in
Vietnam's budget.
Former MobiFone chairman Le Nam Tra, who was arrested in July last
year and charged with violating regulations of state capital
management, admitted receiving a 2.5-million-dollar bribe from Vu,
the police run newspaper Cong An Nhan Dan reported.
Vu was arrested in April for allegedly offering bribes, the Ministry
of Public Security said in a statement.
Vietnam has seen a corruption crackdown in the past year under the
leadership of Communist Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.
Major players in state-owned enterprises, including oil executives,
have been convicted.
International / ASEAN/Philippines
Two Vietnam former ministers face death penalty over bribe charges
Nguyen Bac Son (L) and Truong Minh Tuan