PETITION IN SAIGON

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33741, 14 January 1975, Page 9

PETITION IN SAIGON

Prosecution of Mrs Thieu (N.Z.P.A.Reuter—Copyright) SAIGON, January 13. Opposition groups today petitioned the Supreme Court, calling for the prose- ■ cution of the wife of Presi,'dent Nguyen Van Thieu for alleged involvement in illegal land deals. They claimed that Mrs Thieu bought State-owned land in Long Khan province east of Saigon for a very low price in 1972. Although the Prime Minister. Mr Tran Thien Khiem, later decreed the sale permissible. the Opposition leaders said that the Constitution barred spouses of Government members from involvement in Government bids or contracts.

The petitioners were led by Father Tran Huu Thanh, chairman of the largely Roman Catholic people’s anticorruption movement, and included representatives of militant Buddhists, the Hoa Hao and Cao Dai religions, lawyers and Opposition members of the Senate, Lower House and the Saigon City Council.

They called for the prosecution of Mrs Thieu — currently on, a private visit to Europe — and cancellation of the contracts. Legal sources said that the Court was obliged to consider the complaint. but a decision was unlikely for several months.

Ten pin bowling—The national masters professional ten pin bowling contest will' be held at New Lynn, Auckland, from March 22 to 23 with the top 16 invited bowlers competing for $5OO in nrize-money. They include N. Robertson, from Christchurch, the eighth seed.