Ex-colonel known as ‘Little Baldy’ convicted in Vietnam corruption crackdown
Military court sentences Dinh Ngoc He to 12 years in jail for abuse of power
A Vietnamese military court in Hanoi on Tuesday sentenced the a military official to 12 years in jail in what was the communist-ruled country’s first trial in its crackdown against corruption.
Dinh Ngoc He, a former colonel known by his nickname “Little Baldy”, was convicted of “abusing power in performance of official duties” and “using fake documents”, the news website of state radio Voice Of Vietnam reported.
“The court said the [nature of the case] is very serious, directly harming the rightful operations of state authorities... The culprit’s action seriously affected the prestige of the military and the police,” the report said.
Since 2016, Vietnamese authorities have intensified a corruption crackdown that has led to the arrest of dozens of high-profile business figures and officials, including one member of the politburo.
The crackdown was widened earlier this year to include the military and police force.
Dinh Ngoc He abused his position as chairman of Thai Son Joint Stock Company and his military status to get contracts in key national projects, the official Vietnam News Agency said, citing a copy of the indictment.