China gives ex-Shanxi governor suspended death sentence for corruption

A Chinese court sentenced former Governor of Shanxi province Jin Xiangjun to death with a two-year reprieve for accepting more than 148 million yuan ($20 million) in bribes, state media reported Tuesday.

The Xinyang Intermediate People's Court in Henan province also deprived Jin of his political rights for life and ordered the confiscation of all his personal property, Beijing-based Xinhua News reported.

The court also ordered that the proceeds from Jin's bribery and any interest earned be turned over to the national treasury.

The court, which held a public hearing in the case in June, ruled that Jin was guilty of bribery involving an exceptionally large amount and that his actions caused serious losses to the interests of the state and the people, warranting the death penalty.

It granted him a two-year reprieve, however, citing mitigating factors, including his confession after being apprehended, disclosure of previously unknown bribery offenses, guilty plea and expression of remorse.

The court also noted that some of the illicit gains had been recovered.

Jin was expelled from the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC) and dismissed from public office for serious violations of party discipline and laws in October last year.

Also a former deputy chief of the CPC Shanxi Provincial Committee, Jin was found to have taken advantage of his position to seek profits for others in matters such as business operations and project contracting, illegally accepting huge amounts of money and gifts in return.

Separately, Wang Xiangxi, a former emergency management minister, was expelled from the CPC and dismissed from public office over serious violations of discipline and laws, China's top anti-graft agency announced Tuesday.

The investigation found that Wang violated the party's organizational rules by improperly seeking benefits for others in the promotion of officials.