Defense lawyer for former Quốc Cường Gia Lai chairman explains the trial

On April 10, the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Court continued the fourth day of the trial of 22 defendants in a case involving alleged violations related to the Vietnam Rubber Industry Group (VRG) and related units.

During the defense portion on day three, lawyers representing defendant Nguyen Thi Nhu Loan, former chairwoman of Quoc Cuong Gia Lai, did not dispute the charges but asked the court to reassess the nature and context of her actions.

Defense arguments: timing and reliance on documents

The defense said Loan entered the project at the end of 2013, about four years after the initial misconduct by other defendants at VRG had occurred. The lawyers argued that Loan relied on legal documents provided by the parties involved, which they said indicated the government stake remaining at only 1%.

They cited the business registration certificate of Phu Viet Tin (owned by Le Y Linh and Dang Phuoc Dua) at the time, which recorded private capital at 80%. Based on that, the defense said Loan believed the arrangement was a commercial transaction between private companies.

The defense also argued that Loan was “a victim” of alleged deception by other defendants in legitimizing the documents.

Remediation payments and alleged state loss

By the time of the trial, Quoc Cuong Gia Lai had paid remediation of 206 billion dong, with Loan personally paying more than 28.7 billion. The defense said the total remediated amount exceeded 234.7 billion.

According to the case files, the total loss to the state from the alleged illegal transfer of state assets was more than 542 billion dong. The figure was calculated based on the actual transfer price between Quoc Cuong Gia Lai and the Novaland Group, used to determine the market value of the 39-39B Ben Van Don project at over 846 billion dong, minus capital contributions actually received by VRG units (over 116.5 billion) and land-use fees already paid to the state budget (over 186.7 billion).

Loan’s position on project valuation

In court, Loan presented a different perspective, saying the issue was a burden of remorse she carried during the trial when the valuation team was involved.

She said the real value of the project, based on the original planning from 2010, was around 460–500 billion dong. Loan stated that Novaland agreed to pay 846 billion dong because she requested adjustments to the master plan, changes to the product structure to officetel, and relocation of the resettlement area—changes she said significantly altered the project’s appearance and increased its value.

According to Loan, without these three “breakthrough” changes, the project would not have reached the higher valuation.

The trial is ongoing.