Ex-Chongqing Party chief charged with embezzlement, bribery and abuse of power

Bo Xilai, former Party chief of Chongqing, has been charged with taking bribes, embezzlement and abuse of power, according to the Jinan People's Procuratorate in Shandong province.

Bo's indictment was delivered to Jinan Intermediate People's Court on Thursday.

According to the indictment, Bo abused his position as a civil servant to seek benefit for others and accepted bribes in the form of property and large sums of money.

He embezzled a large amount of public money and abused his power, seriously harming the interests of the State and people, the document said.

Bo has been informed of his legal rights and interviewed by prosecutors. His defending counsel has delivered its opinion, prosecutors said.

The CPC Central Committee announced in April 2012 it had suspended Bo's membership of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau and the CPC Central Committee because he was suspected of being involved in serious disciplinary violations.

The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection filed the case for investigation.

In September last year, the Political Bureau expelled Bo from the Party. It also transferred his case to judicial authorities.

Bo, 64, had previously served as mayor of Dalian, governor of Liaoning province and minister of commerce.

In August 2012, his wife, Bogu Kailai, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve by a court in Anhui province after being convicted of intentional homicide.

She was convicted of murdering British citizen Neil Heywood by poisoning in November 2011. The court found that Bogu Kailai and her son had conflicts with Heywood over economic interests, after which Heywood threatened her son in e-mails, making the mother fear for her son's safety and prompting the murder.

Analysts said the charges against Bo show the Party's resolve to fight corruption.

Party chief Xi Jinping has repeatedly urged senior officials to root out corruption and asked them to prevent their friends and relatives from abusing power for personal gain.

The Party has intensified its fight against graft, especially among senior officials.

Since June, at least four ministerial-level officials have been investigated on suspicion of discipline violations - a term that generally refers to corruption.

Liu Zhijun, former railways minister, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve after being found guilty of taking bribes and abuse of power this month.

Xinhua - China Daily

(China Daily USA 07/26/2013 page3)