Assistant to Vietnam's top lawmaker arrested for power abuse

The arrest of Ha, also Deputy Head of the National Assembly Office, came as the Ministry of Public Security expanded investigation into a case involving bidding violations and bribery at Hanoi-based Thuan An Corporation and related units, Major General To An Xo, the ministry’s spokesperson, said Monday.

The procedural decisions have been approved by the Supreme People's Procuracy, and the ministry is focusing its forces on expanding the investigation and thoroughly recovering assets, Xo said.

Ha, 48, with a PhD in economics, has held his posts at the National Assembly from May 2022. He earlier served as assistant to various positions, including the finance minister, a deputy prime minister and Hanoi's Party leader.

National Assembly chairman's assistant Pham Thai Ha at a police station in Hanoi. Photo by police

Thuan An Corporation was established in 2004 with Nguyen Duy Hung as the chairman.

Hung was arrested on April 15 for "violating regulations on bidding causing serious consequences" and "giving bribes."

Thuan An operates in the fields of investment, construction of technical infrastructure projects, electricity and renewable energy trading, and real estate.

In recent years, the company has won dozens of construction and installation bid packages nationwide.

Different arrests have been made earlier related to the Thuan An case.

Nguyen Khac Man, the group's deputy general director, was arrested for violating bidding regulations causing serious consequences and giving bribes. Tran Anh Quang, its general director, was arrested for giving bribes.

Nguyen Van Thao, Director of the Investment Project Management Board for construction of transport and agricultural works in the northern Bac Giang Province, and his deputy, Dam Van Cuong, were arrested for violating bidding regulations causing serious consequences and receiving bribes.

Hoang The Du, head of the Project Management Department of Bac Giang, was arrested for violating bidding regulations causing serious consequences.