CHANGCHUN, July 28 (Xinhua) -- Former senior official Fu Zhenghua stood trial on Thursday at the Intermediate People's Court of Changchun in northeast China's Jilin Province.
Fu, former deputy head of the Committee on Social and Legal Affairs of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, was accused of bribe-taking and bending the law for personal gains.
Previously, Fu had also served as head of the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, vice minister of public security, and minister of justice.
While the trial of Fu's bribe-taking offence was conducted in an open court, the trial of his bending the law for personal gains was closed to the media and the public as it involved state secrets.
Fu took advantage of his official authority or position to seek gains for others regarding business operations, official positions and legal cases, in return for which he illegally accepted money and gifts worth 117 million yuan (about 17.36 million U.S. dollars) either directly or through his relatives, according to prosecutors.
During his tenure at the Beijing Municipal Public Security Bureau, Fu purposefully shielded his brother, who had severely breached the law, from criminal prosecution, the prosecution states.
The prosecutors, the defendant and his lawyers cross-examined evidence and gave their respective accounts.
In his final statement, Fu pleaded guilty and expressed remorse.
The verdict will be announced in due course. ■
