Vietnam’s former health minister and 37 others went on trial in Hanoi on Wednesday (Jan 3) for their alleged roles in producing and distributing overpriced COVID-19 test kits.
The Viet A scandal, named for the semi-private firm that made the kits, allegedly saw senior officials facilitate multiple million-dollar deals to supply hospitals and local communities with testing equipment at vastly inflated prices.
Images on state media showed the defendants – all wearing masks – escorted by uniformed police to the court building in Hanoi.
Among them was former health minister Nguyen Thanh Long, who is accused of receiving bribes worth US$2.25 million, and former Hanoi mayor Chu Ngoc Anh, accused of “violating regulations on management of state assets”.
At least 100 officials and businesspeople have been arrested across the country in connection with the scandal.
The scam was estimated to have netted some US$172 million for Viet A – US$34 million of which was allegedly ploughed straight back into the bribing of officials.
According to state media, Viet A said it produced 8.7 million test kits during the pandemic, with the majority sent to medical facilities across the country.
