Vietnam officials face bribery charges
By Richard High04 July 2008
The 12 face charges of taking bribes, embezzlement and "irresponsibility" related to a river dike system construction in the central Phu Yen Province.
The officials were charged with receiving bribes to help state-owned Construction Machinery Corporation win an auction for the VND 20.7 billion (US$ 1.3 million) Bach Dang dike project in the province's Tuy Hoa Town in 2001.
Luong Ngoc Ai, director of the provincial Department of Planning and Investment, was charged with receiving a bribe of VND 110 million (US$ 6530).
Le Mao, vice director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, was charged with receiving VND 20 million (US$ 1187).
Mr Mao and other officials involved in the project were also accused of embezzling over VND 1 billion (US$ 59300) in construction materials.
In 2006, four years after the dike project began, a large portion of the structure collapsed into the river.