Without proof, Vietsovpetro’s leadership declined not to receive bribe money

Defendants Nguyen Xuan Son – former general director of OceanBank and former president of Council of Members of PetroVietnam and Nguyen Minh Thu, former president of Management Board of Oceanbank clamed to personally and directly give bribe money to Vietsovpetro's leadership.

Son said that during two years, he personally offered around VND3 billion (US$230,000), which were the extra interest out of those specified in the deposit contract to the Vietsovpetro’s leadership, mainly the chief accountant Vo Quang Huy.

“Total thankful money amounting to VND22.7 billion (roughly US$1 million) were offered during July 2012 to June 2014 to the leadership,” Thu affirmed, adding that she personally and directly transferred the amount of VND15-16 billion (roughly US$650,000-700,000) to the chief accountant and the remainder to the general director Tu Thanh Nghia of the Vietsovpetro.

The chief accountant Vo Quang Huy confirmed that at the peak time, Vietsovpetro deposited US$100 million [in US$ currency] and around VND1,000 billion (US$45 million) [in local dong currency] at Oceanbank.

However, he declined the accusation of receiving bribe money as claimed by both Son and Thu. “I did not receive any,” Huy confirmed.

In response to the jury board’s question that “how could you explain about the claim of the defendants”, he said it was just the claims but he did receive nothing.

Vietsovpetro’s general director Tu Thanh Nghia and former general director Nguyen Huu Tuyen appeared at the Court, both confirmed that they did not receive any gifts or physical substances from Oceanbank.

“Those are the claims by the defendants, I have not received any extra offering out of specified interest rate in the deposit contract,” Vietsovpetro’s general directors said but agreed that they had met Oceanbank’s officer once at Vietsovpetro.