An appeals court in Hanoi has sentenced 18 former officials of the state-owned Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development to prison, with terms ranging from four to 30 years, due to abuse of power.

The high court’s ruling on Tuesday comes after an appellate trial which latest more than ten days.

According to state-run news agency VNA, the court maintained the sentence of 22-year imprisonment for former Agribank general director Pham Thanh Tan, over charges of abusing power while on duty and irresponsibility causing serious consequences.

Meanwhile, Pham Thi Bich Luong, former director of Agribank’s southern Hanoi branch and Chu Thi Kim Hien, former deputy director of the branch, were both sentenced to 30 years in prison over the charges of violating lending rules and abusing power.

Several other former officials of Agribank’s southern Hanoi branch, four former Ha Tay Customs officers and one former chief of a local company faced imprisonment sentences ranging from four to 15 years.

– with other agencies