A former Chinese government official, Liu Guoqiang, was on Tuesday sentenced to death for taking bribes worth over 352 million yuan ($48 million) by a Tianjin First Intermediate People’s Court.
Guoqiang who was a former senior political advisor of northeastern Liaoning Province and former vice-chairman of the Liaoning Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, was however, given a two-year reprieve, meaning that he will not be put to death until after 2024.
After the two-year reprieve for his death sentence, Liu’s punishment can be commuted to life in prison in accordance with the law but no further reduction or parole will be given to him.
State prosecutors told the court that Liu was guilty of taking advantage of the public offices he held while working in Liaoning to benefit certain organizations and individuals.
According to a court statement, he benefited some individuals in terms of business operation, project approval, obtaining fiscal funds, job promotion and other matters.
The statement added that the overall amount of bribes accepted by Liu was especially huge, and his offences caused heavy damage to the interests of the state and people.
“As he admitted to his misdeeds, including acts of bribery that investigators were initially unaware of, the court offered him leniency,” the statement said.
“Liu was deprived of political rights for life, and had all his personal property confiscated while his illegal gains from bribery were recovered and turned over to the state treasury,” the court said.
