Ex-senior railways officials given suspended death penalty for bribery in Beijing

Want China Times, Xinhua 2014-10-17

Zhang Shuguang stands trail, Sept. 10. (Photo/CNS)

A Beijing court sentenced a former senior railways official to death with a two years reprieve on charges of taking bribes on Friday.

The Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People's Court also deprived Zhang Shuguang, former head of the railways ministry's transportation bureau and deputy chief engineer, of political rights for life and confiscated all his property.

His deputy Su Shunhu, was also given life imprisonment, deprived of political rights for life and had all his property confiscated.

Zhang has not said if he is planning an appeal after the morning hearing.

According to the court, Zhang took bribes worth more than 47 million yuan (US$7.7 million) from 14 companies between 2000 and 2011, when he served in a variety of positions in the ministry.

He helped companies with contracts relating to the sale of trains or parts, technical supply and the bidding of projects, the court said.

On Su's part, the court found he took bribes worth more than 24 million yuan (US$3.9 million) from three companies between 2003 and 2011.

The court made judgments while considering both defendants voluntarily made a confession on undiscovered bribery and showed sincere regret over their wrongdoing.

Zhang is the second high-ranking railways official charged with bribery in China after former railways minister Liu Zhijun was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for bribery and abuse of power in July.