A former national legislator in central China's Henan Province had been executed for seven crimes, including multiple rapes and organizing gang activities, a local court official said on Friday.

Wu Tianxi, 63, was also the former deputy head of the political consultative conference of Zhenping county which administered by Nanyang City in Henan Province, and chairman of a local food group company.

The death penalty was ordered by the Intermediate People's Court of Nanyang on Thursday.

The court heard earlier Wu ordered, between 2005 and early 2007, gangsters under his leadership to bring, by means of inveiglement, intimidation and beating, 24 middle school girls, including six aged between 12 and 14, to his office and hotel rooms for rape.

Since 1992, Wu had organized and led a gang to help with illegal transfers and trades of land-use rights, blackmail and illegally drawing on public funds, the court heard.

After a first hearing, Wu was sentenced to death by the Intermediate People's Court of Nanyang on Dec. 9, 2007. he was charged with other offences including compelling others to trade and illegal fund raising. He was further fined 500,000 yuan (73,206 U.S. dollars).

Wu lodged an appeal after the first-hearing verdict was handed down. On July 23, 2008, the High People's Court of Henan Province overruled his appeal and affirmed the original judgement. The death penalty was then approved by China's Supreme People's Court.

(Xinhua News Agency?August 14, 2009)