A top county official was executed Friday in this capital of southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region for bribery and abuse of power, said.

Wan Ruizhong, former Communist Party secretary of the region's Nandan County, was convicted of taking bribes and abusing his power, and executed following approval by the Supreme People's Court.

Wan was also convicted of plotting to cover up a mine accident that killed 81 miners in July 2001, according to the Nanning City Intermediate People's Court.

The deaths occurred when the county's Lajiapo mine, which was under Wan's direct jurisdiction, flooded July 17, 2001.

Investigation of the accident led to the exposure of Wan and other corrupt officials in the county.

Wan was also sentenced to the confiscation of his personal property of 500,000 yuan (about US$60,000), and his illegal income of 2.68 million yuan (US$323,000) has been turned over to the national treasury.

His appeal was rejected by the Guangxi Regional Higher People's Court Aug. 26, 2002.

Only a day before Wan's execution, Yan Zhihua, another prefectural official, was sentenced to one year in prison with a two-year reprieve for his role in the cover-up.

Other officials responsible for mine accidents in the area have been sentenced to death, 10 years and 13 years in prison, respectively, for their roles in similar cover-ups.
 
(Xinhua News Agency February 21, 2004)