Ex-PMU18 chief faces embezzlement charge

Hanoi (VNA) - Former director of project management unit (PMU) 18 Bui Tien Dung, who was sentenced in 2007 to 13-year imprisonment for bribery and gambling, is now facing also embezzlement charges.

Dung and his 10 accomplices, who was involved in the Bai Chay bridge construction
project, are also charged with "not disclosing criminal activities".

The Supreme People's Procuracy has accused Dung and other former PMU 18 officers of
making fake documents and a list of non-existent consultants to embezzle the State
money. Bui Tien Dung himself signed to approve 41 salary payment invoices worth
more than 2.7 billion VND (155,100 USD).

According to the indictment, during Aug. 2003 - Feb. 2007, Bui Tien Dung and his
subordinates, notably PID6 head Pham Tien Dung, illegally drawn 3.4 billion VND
(195,400 USD) from public fund as salary payment for 26 non-existent consultants.

Pham Tien Dung and other accomplices are accused of embezzling almost 1.6 billion
VND (91,900 USD).

Concerning the case, the Supreme People's Procuracy also decided to exempt the
criminal responsibility for former deputy director of PMU18 Doan Van Chiem and PID6
expert Nguyen Manh Hung concerning charges of lacking responsibility and causing
serious consequences and embezzling public property.

The Bai Chay bridge project was implemented at a cost of over 1.3 trillion VND
(74.7 million USD) on Highway 18 in the northern coastal Quang Ninh province. PMU
18 was assigned by the Ministry of Transport to manage the project.-Enditem