Former deputy director of Petroland declared a fugitive

Tran Huu Giang, former deputy director of Petroland. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Public Security.

The Ministry of Public Security said it is looking for Tran Huu Giang, 54, former deputy director at Petro Capital and Infrastructure and Investment Joint Stock Company, or Petroland, the property arm of state oil giant PetroVietnam, for "abusing position and power while performing official duties."

Giang has left his residence in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 2, the ministry said Friday.

More than two months ago, Giang’s superior Bui Minh Chinh, 58, former chairman of Petroland, was placed under investigation for the same charges in accordance with the Criminal Code.

Police said several others related to the case had been detained, but their identities were not revealed.

According to their investigation, between 2012 and last year, Chinh and other executives at Petroland signed dozens of contracts transferring ownership of the Petroland Tower and surrounding land lots on Tan Trao Street in HCMC’s District 7.

Many of those contracts were illegal, causing losses worth VND100 billion ($4.3 million) for Petroland.

Representatives from the company handed over files and contracts related to Chinh and Giang’s violations to the police in October last year.

The Petroland Tower in HCMC's District 7. Photo courtesy of Petroland.

Chinh worked as general director at Petroland from May 2009 to 2012. Between 2012 and June 2017, PetroVietnam changed the title "general director" to director, and made him a director of Petroland. During this time, Giang worked as a deputy director.

From June 2017 to August 2018, Chinh also worked as the firm’s chairman until he was arrested in October this year and lost all his titles.

No details were available on Giang’s resignation or removal from his posts.

Petroland was established in 2007 with a charter capital of VND1 trillion ($43 million).