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Sunday, 7 February 2010
Corruption trial hears of vast wealth, bribe claims
As the high-profile trial of the most senior cadre snared in Chongqing’s crackdown on gangsters continues, further details of the former justice chief’s decadent lifestyle have been revealed in court.
Corruption trial hears of vast wealth, bribe claims
Staff Reporter 06 February 2010
As the high-profile trial of the most senior cadre snared in Chongqing’s crackdown on gangsters continues, further details of the former justice chief’s decadent lifestyle have been revealed in court.
Former Chongqing Justice Bureau head Wen Qiang, 55, who has been on trial at a local court since Wednesday, has been accused of covering up organised crime, taking about 16 million yuan (HK$18.17 million) in bribes from gangs he protected and being unable to explain the source of another 10 million yuan.
Wen, a deputy police chief of Chongqing for 17 years before his arrest in August, is also charged with raping a university student in 2007 and 2008.
The prosecution said Wen’s family’s assets had mysteriously jumped from 370,000 yuan in 1992 when he took over as deputy police chief to nearly 31 million last year, China News Service reported yesterday.
But Wen claimed a large part of his savings had come from performance-related bonuses for successful crackdowns in many high-profile triad cases over the years.
The prosecution accused Wen of spending 120,000 yuan on prostitution while deputy police chief. The news agency said he denied the allegation, telling the court: “Whether it was prostitution, rape or just personal behaviour, this should be determined by the court. I won’t comment.”
Wen had earlier confessed to a Communist Party disciplinary committee that he had forced under-age girls to have sex with him, according to a Yangtze Evening News report last year. And whenever Wen set his eyes on an actress or singer visiting Chongqing, he would use every means to sleep with her, including money and blackmail, the report said.
Wen is also accused of spending 4.7 million yuan on buying and renovating 16 houses. Wen said he had no knowledge of some of the properties.
The prosecution also listed a large number of antiques and jewellery items in his possession as well as works of art worth 5.6 million yuan. They included a traditional Chinese painting by late artist Zhang Daqian worth 3.64 million yuan, Beijing Times said.
The prosecution also found Wen had stashed away some six million yuan in a relative’s water tank, a Xinhua report said.
Wen admitted taking some bribes but denied the charges of rape and covering up organised crime.
Mainland media, citing government insiders, have speculated that Wen is likely to be sentenced to death. His trial is expected to end early next week.
Chongqing was plagued by organised crime for years until new Communist Party chief Bo Xilai launched a massive crackdown in June. Charges have been brought against hundreds of people, including 87 government officials, and at least six people have been sentenced to death, including triad bosses and a police officer.
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Corruption trial hears of vast wealth, bribe claims
Staff Reporter
06 February 2010
As the high-profile trial of the most senior cadre snared in Chongqing’s crackdown on gangsters continues, further details of the former justice chief’s decadent lifestyle have been revealed in court.
Former Chongqing Justice Bureau head Wen Qiang, 55, who has been on trial at a local court since Wednesday, has been accused of covering up organised crime, taking about 16 million yuan (HK$18.17 million) in bribes from gangs he protected and being unable to explain the source of another 10 million yuan.
Wen, a deputy police chief of Chongqing for 17 years before his arrest in August, is also charged with raping a university student in 2007 and 2008.
The prosecution said Wen’s family’s assets had mysteriously jumped from 370,000 yuan in 1992 when he took over as deputy police chief to nearly 31 million last year, China News Service reported yesterday.
But Wen claimed a large part of his savings had come from performance-related bonuses for successful crackdowns in many high-profile triad cases over the years.
The prosecution accused Wen of spending 120,000 yuan on prostitution while deputy police chief. The news agency said he denied the allegation, telling the court: “Whether it was prostitution, rape or just personal behaviour, this should be determined by the court. I won’t comment.”
Wen had earlier confessed to a Communist Party disciplinary committee that he had forced under-age girls to have sex with him, according to a Yangtze Evening News report last year. And whenever Wen set his eyes on an actress or singer visiting Chongqing, he would use every means to sleep with her, including money and blackmail, the report said.
Wen is also accused of spending 4.7 million yuan on buying and renovating 16 houses. Wen said he had no knowledge of some of the properties.
The prosecution also listed a large number of antiques and jewellery items in his possession as well as works of art worth 5.6 million yuan. They included a traditional Chinese painting by late artist Zhang Daqian worth 3.64 million yuan, Beijing Times said.
The prosecution also found Wen had stashed away some six million yuan in a relative’s water tank, a Xinhua report said.
Wen admitted taking some bribes but denied the charges of rape and covering up organised crime.
Mainland media, citing government insiders, have speculated that Wen is likely to be sentenced to death. His trial is expected to end early next week.
Chongqing was plagued by organised crime for years until new Communist Party chief Bo Xilai launched a massive crackdown in June. Charges have been brought against hundreds of people, including 87 government officials, and at least six people have been sentenced to death, including triad bosses and a police officer.
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