CHINA. TWO OFFICIALS SENTENCED TO DEATH

November 20, 2008: Two former officials from China's Hunan Province were sentenced to death for taking bribes.
Li Dalun, 58, former secretary of Communist Party of China (CPC) Chenzhou Municipal Committee, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for taking money in exchange for giving out promotions, contracts, mining permits and other gains between February 1999 to May 2006, the Changsha Municipal Intermediate People's Court said.
The bribes and other illegal gifts accepted by Li and his wife were valued at more than 14 million yuan (US$2.1 million).
Li also had another 18 million yuan that he had failed to account for.
Judges said Li's crimes were very serious and deserved death penalty, however, he voluntarily confessed to taking bribes judiciary authorities did not know about. In addition, Li returned all his illegal earnings. Therefore, judges gave Li a two-year reprieve.
In China, a reprieve means that if Li shows good behavior over the next two years, the death sentence will be turned into life in prison.
Li's wife, Chen Lihua, a retired Chenzhou labor and social security bureau official, was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
In another case, Zeng Jinchun, 61, former secretary of the CPC Chenzhou Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection, was sentenced to death for taking 31.52 million yuan in bribes between 1997 to September 2006, the Changsha Municipal Intermediate People's Court said.
He took the illegal money in exchange for meting out promotions, contracts, mining permits.
In addition, Zeng, who also served as vice secretary of the CPC Chenzhou Municipal Committee, had another 9.53 million yuan that he could not account for.
His wife, son and daughter are now under investigation. (Sources: Xinhua, 20/11/2008)