A former transport official, currently serving a jail term for gambling, bribery and misusing state-owned cars, will stand trial on June 27 with new charges of embezzlement from a Japanese-funded bridge project.

Bui Tien Dung, former director at the Ministry of Transport’s Project Management Unit 18 (PMU18), and seven of his subordinates are charged with pocketing more than VND3 billion (US$147,000) in public funds.

The Hanoi People’s Court will deliver the verdict for the defendants on July 6. 

According to the indictment, the defendants falsified invoices to reflect work done by non-existent consultants to the Bai Chay Bridge project in Quang Ninh Province.

The project began in 1998 with a total investment of around VND1.4 trillion ($69 million). The funding came from the Japanese government’s official aids.

From August 2003 to February 2006, the defendants siphoned off over VND3.4 billion from the salaries of 26 non-existent workers, according to the indictment.

Dung is presently serving a 13 year jail sentence handed down to him in 2007 for gambling and bribery, and a three year jail term for misusing state-owned cars, costing the state VND2.7 billion ($132,000).