The High People’s Court in Hanoi on June 16 handed down its verdict in the appeal of 11 defendants linked to the second phase of the “rescue flight” bribery scandal, reducing sentences for several former provincial officials in a case that has spotlighted corruption in the country’s COVID-19 repatriation efforts.

The Hanoi People's Court on December 27 sentenced 17 defendants in the second phase of the rescue flight case on charges of “giving bribes, accepting bribes, abusing positions and power while performing duties, and concealing crimes”.

The Ministry of Public Security is striving to complete investigations into the Viet A and rescue flight cases in January, Chief of the Office of the ministry Lieut. Gen To An Xo informed the press during the Government’s regular press conference in Hanoi on January 3.

The Ministry of Transport announced that it had directed relevant agencies to provide information and documents related to the flights repatriating Vietnamese citizens from abroad to the Investigation Police Agency to serve the investigation into the “taking bribery” case at the Consular Department.