A county-level official was sentenced to death on Wednesday for his part in a tin mine flooding last July that killed 81 people in southwestern China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
Wan Ruizhong, former secretary of Nandan County's Communist Party Committee, was given death penalty after being convicted of taking bribes and abusing power by the Intermediate People's Courtof Nanning City, capital of Guangxi, at the first trial.
Wan's personal property and illegal income worth 3.185 million yuan (US$384,000) was confiscated.
Investigations found that the severe accident at the Lajiapo Mine in Nandan County on July 17 last year was directly resulted from mismanagement, illegal mining and poorly-conducted explosions. Local government and mine officials tried to cover up the accident, holding the normal investigation and disposal of the incident for half a month.
Tang Yusheng, former county magistrate of Nandan, was sentenced a 20-year imprisonment with confiscation of personal property.
Their accomplices, Deputy Party Secretary Mo Zhuanglong and Deputy County Magistrate Wei Xueguang, were sentenced to 10 years and 13 years in prison respectively for their roles in the cover-up.
More suspects involved in the case will be put on trial soon, sources with the court said.
The tragedy last year prompted the central government to investigate and later tighten security measures in mines across the country.
( People's Daily June 6, 2002)
