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Defendants in court. Photo: Nguyen Hue
According to the investigation, in 2016, Tran Lap Nghia established MO Investment Joint Stock Company. By October 2018, the company registered to operate at Branch Center 62-03D.
To establish the center, Tran Lap Nghia met directly with former Director Tran Ky Hinh at the Vietnam Register, giving 20 million VND to ask for approval. Mr. Hinh received the money and agreed to the approval, giving the Center code 62-03D for Nghia to install equipment and complete the following procedures.
In May 2019, Center 62-03D began operating.
According to regulations, an inspection line must have at least 3 inspectors, so Nghia put the names of inspectors Le Van Quoc, Tang Phuong Dong, and Ho Van Cuong into the daily task assignment book to make up the number. All 3 of these people do not work at the center.
In early 2021, due to the Covid-19 epidemic affecting the center’s income, Nghia directed Huynh Thai Bao (Deputy Director) to accept bribes from car owners to ignore violations during the inspection process.
As of October 2022, Center 62-03D has issued Certificates to 35,253 vehicles in violation of regulations, earning a profit of more than VND 9,843 billion.
To be forgiven for the violations, Nghia had to pay Tran Ky Hinh 100 million VND and Dang Viet Ha (former Director of the Vehicle Registration Department, from August 2021 to December 2022) 460 million VND.
From the violations of Center 62-03D, the Investigation Police Agency, Ho Chi Minh City Police determined that the crime was organized throughout from the Vietnam Register to the motor vehicle inspection centers, the Inland Waterway Vehicle Inspection Department in Ho Chi Minh City and localities across the country.
In which, Mr. Hinh and Mr. Ha were identified as playing key roles throughout the case.