Life jail for official on bribes of US$1.95m
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A former official in Henan Province has earned the dubious honor of breaking the corruption record for a county Party secretary after it emerged that he received 12.76 million yuan ($1.9 million), 8,000 Euros ($11,007) and $8,000 in bribes from more than a hundred people between 2002 and 2009.
China Radio International reported Wednesday that in an attempt to avoid being exposed, Li Yinkui of Fengqiu county handed over 639,800 yuan ($96,449) to the government's "honesty account," which has been set up for officials to deposit money they cannot return after receiving it from other people.
To further hide the bribes he received, Li and his wife used the identity cards of their relatives to deposit money into their accounts so that he could avoid declaring his assets.
The Intermediate People's Court in Luoyang sentenced Li to life imprisonment and deprived him of political rights for life in May.
However, Li did not accept the verdict and appealed to Henan Higher People's Court. The appeal trial is proceeding.
Since 2006, 22 former county Party secretaries in Henan have been investigated and punished for corruption, the report said, citing the Henan Discipline Inspection Commission.
The General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council demanded in July that officials above deputy county level should declare their family properties, marriage status and other personal details.
"The property declaration system has its own loophole, as the property declared is movable and some officials can deposit their illicitly gained money into their distant relatives' accounts or abroad," Mo Jihong, a constitution expert from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences told the Global Times Wednesday.
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