The person claiming to be ‘District 7 Steering Committee’ escaped from prison

On March 30, the People’s Court of Ho Chi Minh City opened an appellate session to try defendant Ho Huu Nhan (42 years old) for the crime of “resisting people on official duty”.

Defendant Nhan is a person who claims to be “the Steering Committee of District 7”, causing trouble at a supermarket on Ton Dat Tien Street, Tan Phong Ward (District 7) causing public outrage at the end of August 2021.

Before that, in December 2021, defendant Nhan was sentenced to 6 months in prison by the District 7 People’s Court (HCMC). After the first-instance hearing, the defendant filed an appeal.

In the application, Mr. Nhan asserted that his behavior was wrong but did not commit the crime of “Resisting on official duty”.

Mr. Ho Huu Nhan at the first instance session. Photo: Thanh Phuong

Because according to Mr. Nhan, the supermarket employee, Mr. Ngo Van Dung, came to prevent him from entering the supermarket, Mr. Nhan thought Mr. Dung was not a public official because this supermarket was a business unit of the business sector. private sector. In addition, Mr. Dung does not wear uniforms, nameplates, etc., so he does not know the role and duties of Mr. Dung at the supermarket.

Explaining his aggressive behavior at the supermarket, Mr. Nhan said that because he was impatient to buy milk for his children and was afraid of being late to 115 Hospital, he gave gifts of protective clothing to doctors and medical staff.

Mr. Nhan said that the District 7 People’s Court sentenced him to a prison sentence of 6 months was too heavy, so he filed an appeal to request the appellate level to reconsider the penalty.

According to the prosecution, at 4 p.m. on August 29, Mr. Nhan and his wife, Mrs. B. went by car to a supermarket in District 7 to shop.

Mr. Nhan stopped the car outside, gave his wife the card “Covid-19 Prevention and Control Committee in District 7” for her to come in and buy.

However, when Mr. Ngo Van Dung (Head of the internal control department of the supermarket) informed Ms. B. that she should order online, because the supermarket currently does not deal with individual customers, but focuses on selling according to orders from customers. Ward authorities to support people during the Covid-19 epidemic.

Mrs. B. made a phone call to Mr. Nhan to drive to the supermarket. When he got off the bus, Mr. Nhan took the card from his wife’s hand and called it “The Steering Committee of District 7” and demanded to buy the goods.

Mr. Nhan used the excuse of “buying goods for the steering committee”, untied the rope, went inside the supermarket, loudly cursed and threatened the staff here: “I manage this area”, “for the district police”. 7 down to work”…

The supermarket security guard asked Mr. Nhan not to go inside, but he continued to raise his voice. This man even took off his mask, challenging the security guard to film.

Immediately after the clip of the incident was spread online, there were many angry and disgruntled comments about Mr. Nhan’s behavior. District 7 police invited Mr. Nhan to work that evening.

The police clarified that Mr. Nhan is not a member of the Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control in District 7 and is not a member of any steering committee. At the police station, Mr. Nhan admitted that his behavior was exactly the same as the situation that the clip spread on the internet reflected.

Before that, Mr. Nhan was prosecuted for the crime of “Forging positions, ranks and working positions”. However, after nearly a month of investigation and clarification of relevant details, the prosecution agency decided to change the crime to “Against law enforcement”.

At today’s court hearing, finding that the defendant had many mitigating circumstances, participated in many charity works, the defendant repented and repented, and before the appeal session took place, the defendant submitted additional family documents. meritorious family.

According to the trial panel, these are new details, so after considering, partially accepted the defendant’s appeal, changing from 6 months in prison to 6 months of suspended sentence for defendant Nhan.

Thanh Phuong