Abuse of power needs double penalties

Defendant Huỳnh Ngọc Sĩ in white shirt

The court reviewed the verdicts against the two defendants at the request of the city’s People’s Procuracy.

Huỳnh Ngọc Sĩ, former Deputy Director of the HCMC Department of Transport and  Manager of the projects management board; and Lê Quả, Deputy Manager of the board were sentenced to six and five year imprisonment, respectively.

The two officials had abused their power to ink a US $80,000 worth contract leasing a State-owned house on Nguyễn Thị Diệu Street in District 3 to Japan’s Pacific Consultants International (PCI). The lease money however was not submitted to the State budget but disbursed to 87 staff members.

Earlier on September 25, 2009, the HCMC People’s Court had conducted the first-hearing of the case and already issued jail sentences of three and two years respectively to Sĩ and Quả.

By Hải Minh