Vietnam is gripped by its highest profile corruption trial in memory, but some spectators are questioning whether the Communist Party elite in the dock were charged because of infighting in the ruling class or a crackdown on abuse of office. Vietnam brought 22 executives to court over losses at the state oil firm on Monday, in the most important trial of a widening crackdown on corruption. Among those being tried was the first politburo member to be arrested in decades. A former Vietnamese politburo member on trial over the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars at state oil firm PetroVietnam has testified that a key decision was taken by the previous prime minister, according to video published on local media.