12-12024 (HANOI) A Vietnamese court on Friday handed down an 18-year prison sentence to former health minister Nguyen Thanh Long after finding him guilty of accepting bribes in a scandal involving coronavirus test kits, as reported by state media.
The charges against Long revolved around allegations of accepting bribes amounting to $2.25 million in connection with a scandal where a local company was accused of colluding with officials. The collaboration involved commissioning a state-funded research unit to produce and inflate the prices of coronavirus test kits, according to Phap Luat Online newspaper.
As of now, Reuters has not been able to reach Long’s legal representatives for their response to the court’s decision.
At the trial, Long reportedly expressed remorse, stating, “I was wrong, I am sorry,” as quoted by the newspaper.
This sentencing occurs within the broader context of Vietnam’s ongoing and intensified anti-corruption campaign, which has spanned several years. The campaign has witnessed the investigation of numerous high-ranking officials for corruption, leading to the resignation of many. Notable figures among those forced out include former president and premier Nguyen Xuan Phuc, along with two deputy prime ministers.
