[jackbl]

Police work with consulate over Frenchman’s death
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Vietnam police forces are scheduled to work with the French consulate today (Tuesday) concerning the death of a Frenchman who jumped from the 19th floor of an apartment building in Ho Chi Minh City after police started investigating him for sexual acts with children.

On November 8, 38-year-old Vitrac Alexandre Pierre Claude jumped out of the window of his apartment inside the Screc Tower after a police team arrived to question him concerning his alleged lewd acts.

It is not immediately clear if the case involves one child or more.

He died on the spot after falling onto the terrace on the 4th floor of the Screc Tower on Truong Sa Street in District 3. The 22-story Screc Tower houses apartment buildings for lease.

Tuoitrenews found out that police are currently investigating a ring supplying young boys to pedophiles, and since the French citizen’s name came up as a client, police decided to question him. However, when they arrived at his apartment, the apparent suicide occurred.

According to initial information supplied to Tuoitrenews, Claude was a businessman and director of an IT company in Ho Chi Minh City. He had lived in Vietnam for seven years.

Tuoitrenews reporters have contacted the owners of the Screc building but its management board refused to provide any information. They also prevented the newspaper from interviewing his neighbors.

The incident occurred on the evening of the 8th and the body was removed from the building by 10pm.