Hanoi: A Vietnam court imprisoned a former assistant minister of industry and trade for six years on Tuesday, April 29 after having recognized him guilty of “violence in power” in a solar energy development plan.
The Southeast Southeast Asian country has committed to reaching zero net carbon emissions by 2050 and tries to increase wind and solar production to meet the soaring demand.
Hoang Quoc Vuong, 62, admitted having taken a bridge pot of US $ 57,600 to promote solar power plants in the south of Ninh Thuan province with special prices when they sold electricity to the National Electricity Company.
Vuong was vice-minister of trade and industry between 2015 and 2020 and chaired public electricity in Vietnam (EVN) between 2012 and 2015.
According to the verdict, EVN spent nearly $ 154 million to buy solar energy from three solar power plants in the province of Ninh Thuan between 2018 and 2020, resulting in a loss of more than US dollars on the state budget.
Vuong admitted to the court that he had received a bridge pot, but his family had reimbursed the amount.
“I think that during my performances at public work, I had done bad things, causing losses. I therefore take responsibility for repaying the amount in the State,” Vuong told court.
Vuong declared in his last words before the court that his “misdeeds were painful lessons, erasing my contributions (in the state) in various positions”.
Eleven other energy officials and taxes involved in the case were also tried. They received sanctions which went from suspended sentences from three years to six years in prison for abuse of power and lack of responsibility.
The Hanoi court also ordered three electricity plants which benefited from electricity sales in EVN to reimburse the $ 40 million in losses to the State Group.
