42 Accused in Mental Health Assessment Fraud Case, Bribery Allegations Surface

In Dong Nai Province, southern Vietnam, 42 individuals, including doctors and forensic psychiatrists, are on trial for allegedly manipulating mental health assessment results to benefit criminal suspects. This extensive corruption case exposes serious issues within Vietnam's judicial and medical systems. Among the accused are staff from the Central Forensic Psychiatry Institute's Bien Hoa branch and the Tay Nguyen Forensic Psychiatry Center, with half being doctors, forensic psychiatrists, or heads of professional departments. Sentencing is expected next week. According to the Supreme People's Procuracy's indictment, from January 2016 to June 2024, 29 cases of bribery and abuse of power occurred at these two institutions, resulting in 26 falsified mental health assessment reports and three fabricated medical records. Additionally, one case involved improper mandatory treatment orders. Dr. Ha Ngoc Khanh, one of the central figures, allegedly acted as an intermediary between individuals seeking favorable assessment results and doctors or psychiatrists capable of influencing the process, despite not holding a leadership position. Khanh is accused of brokering over VND 2.06 billion (approximately $80,000 USD) in bribes, personally profiting VND 453 million (approximately $26,000 USD). A notable case involves Nguyen Trong Hiep, a suspect in a gambling case. Hiep allegedly paid a total of VND 550 million (approximately $32,000 USD) through Khanh to obtain a conclusion of diminished or lost capacity, which could lead to a suspension of investigation or treatment orders. Initially, the assessment panel deemed Hiep to have "limited" capacity, but the center's director allegedly steered the opinion towards "loss of capacity." However, a subsequent re-assessment by another institution concluded that Hiep possessed full cognitive and behavioral control at the time of the offense and during the assessment. This case suggests systemic issues of ethical lapses and their exploitation within public institutions like the judiciary and healthcare under Vietnam's one-party system. While Vietnam continues its economic growth, such corruption can undermine the rule of law and public trust. Source: VnExpress