CHINA: EX-POLITICAL ADVISOR SENTENCED TO DEATH FOR BRIBERY

April 27, 2012: A Chinese court sentenced Song Chenguang, former senior political advisor of east China's Jiangxi Province, to death with two years of probation for bribery.
Song, former vice chairman of the Jiangxi Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), was convicted of taking 12.63 million yuan (2 million U.S. dollars) in bribes from 1998 to 2010, according to a statement from the Intermediate People's Court of Tai'an city in east China's Shandong Province.
In exchange, he had offered favors to 18 companies and individuals in contracting projects, gaining sales permission and getting promotions, the statement said.
The crimes were committed while Song was at the positions of deputy head and head of the infrastructure construction department of Jiangxi provincial government, mayor and Party chief of Yichun city, vice chairman of the CPPCC Jiangxi provincial committee and head of the United Front Work Department of the Jiangxi Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China.
Given his behavior in asking for bribes and the amount of money he accepted, Song must receive severe punishment but the two-year probation of the execution has been granted as he confessed to his crimes, the court verdict said.
Song, 60, was expelled from the CPC and removed from office last July. (Sources: Xinhua, 27/04/2012)