Trinh Xuan Thanh, former Chairman of the state-run PetroVietnam Construction Corporation (PVC), gave himself up to the Investigation Security Agency under the Ministry of Public Security after nearly a year of evading an international arrest warrant, the ministry announced on Monday.

On September 16, 2016, the Ministry of Public Security’s Investigation Police Agency launched criminal proceedings against Thanh, born in 1966 and residing in Ha Noi’s Tay Ho District, for alleged violations of State regulations on economic management resulting in losses of nearly VND3.3 trillion (US$142 million) for PVC during his leadership.

After finding that Thanh had fled overseas, the ministry decided to issue an arrest warrant domestically and internationally for him.

Earlier, members of the Secretariat of the Party Central Committee unanimously agreed to expel Thanh from the Party.

According to the Secretariat, between 2007-2013, in his positions as Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Director General of the PVC, and later as Secretary of the PVC’s Party Committee and Chairman of the Board of Directors, Thanh showed irresponsibility and negligence in the leadership and management of the corporation’s operation, and violated legal regulations on business administration, incurring losses of nearly VND3.3 trillion.

As the corporation’s top official, Thanh must bear responsibility for the mistakes and wrongdoings, but he was not honest in acknowledging them.

After being transferred to Hau Giang Province, while serving as a member of the provincial Party Committee and Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, Thanh used an official plate on his private-owned luxury Lexus car, which was illegal.

As Thanh was responsible for the wrongdoings, law violations and losses at the PVC, leaders of the Viet Nam National Oil and Gas Group (PVN) assessed that he had not fulfilled his duty and removed him from the position of Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the PVC. This meant he was not eligible for promotion or transfer, but Thanh proposed his transfer and let relevant agencies conduct procedures to appoint him to leading positions at the Ministry of Industry and Trade and Hau Giang Province.

He was also dishonest and unrepentant during the self-criticism process, the Secretariat said. — VNS