Businesswoman sentenced to death for embezzlement in southern Vietnam
HANOI - A businesswoman was sentenced to death in
southern Vietnam for embezzling nearly $1 million from the
government-owned company she headed, state-controlled media
reported Saturday.
Truong Thi Thanh Huong, the former director of the An Giang Food
Company, was convicted of stealing the money during her tenure
from 1996 to 1999, the Thanh Nien newspaper said.
A court in An Giang also announced jail sentences of up to 20 years
for seven other company employees, while six other defendants were
given suspended sentences of two to three years on charges of
embezzlement and intentional violation of government rules, it said.
The ruling Communist Party has made fighting corruption a top
priority, and more than 600 officials have been brought to court this
year for involvement in 280 corruption cases. They are among
thousands of corruption cases being investigated, state media have
reported.
Also Saturday, the government-controlled Lao Dong (Labor)
newspaper said a senior police official has backed down from an
earlier statement that Cabinet-level officials were likely to be
implicated in an expanding mafia case.
On Thursday, Deputy National Police Chief Le Thanh had told local
reporters on the sidelines of the ongoing National Assembly session
that ``in the coming time, higher ranking officials may be
prosecuted. I think there will be several other officials, not just vice
ministers.''
The case revolving around Ho Chi Minh City mafia boss Truong Van
Cam, known as Nam Cam, has ensnared more than 150 people so far,
including top government and police officials.
In quotes published Saturday, Thanh backed down from his remarks,
saying that he was speaking only in general terms regarding the
prosecution of top officials, and not referring to the Nam Cam case.
``People who violate laws must be considered and dealt with in
accordance with the laws regardless of their position,'' he said.
``When I said that, I mean cadres ... who committed crimes will be
dealt with, not specifically mentioning the Nam Cam case.''
It was unclear why he changed his statement.
The Associated Press - November 30, 2002.
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