The trial begins today of nine ex-officials, including the former city deputy mayor of the northern port city of Hai Phong, who have been charged with illegally allotting land to favored residents.

Police investigation showed Thanh, who retired in 2004, instructed his subordinates to illegally allocate land.

In a directive issued in 2002 by the municipal administration, the Quan Nam Urban Area now known as Le Chan District was meant to have only 374 lots over 11.5 hectares to build villas.

The directive banned further subdivision and “tube” houses, the narrow style of housing found throughout Vietnam.

But Thanh, via official documents, asked his staff to allot up to 948 lots and since his order was given, numerous “tube” houses have been built on the estate.

The Government Inspectorate earlier concluded the people who were allocated lots were high-ranking officials from the city People’s Council, administration and other state agencies, as well as Thanh’s wife and his younger sister.

Other high-ranking officials to be tried include Chu Minh Tuan, former head of Hai Phong’s department of land and housing, and Do Khac Hoa, ex-mayor of An Hai District.

The trial, set to end on Saturday, is one of the country’s largest graft cases in to come to trial in recent years.

Reported by Dong Bac