Former Vice-Minister of Public Security of China Li Jizhou was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve in Beijing on Monday for taking bribes and dereliction of duty.
He was deprived of political rights for life, and all his personal properties were confiscated.
Li took bribes of one million yuan (US$121,000), US$500,000 and 30,000 HK dollars from Lai Changxing, the mastermind behind the Xiamen smuggling case, when he served as assistant to the public security minister and deputy minister of public security in the 1994-1997 period.
In return, Li interfered at the request of Lai when police and border security authorities in Hainan were investigating an oil tanker used by smugglers.
According to the No. One Intermediate People's Court, Li was given lenient treatment as he showed repentance, assisted the court and urged his relatives to return illicit money and goods.
Earlier, Li's wife, Cheng Xinlian, was sentenced to a two and a half years' imprisonment.
(Xinhua News Agency October 23, 2001)
