A court in Nanjing, capital of East China's Jiangsu Province, has started to try the wife of a former deputy-mayor, who was convicted and sentenced to death for corruption last month.
Nanjing Intermediate People's Court began to hear the case of Zhang Yafei, the wife of Ma Xiangdong -- former deputy-mayor of Shenyang, Northeast China's Liaoning Province -- on Wednesday.
Zhang was accused of taking and offering large sums of bribes.
The court judge said he will decide if more hearings are needed before giving a verdict.
The indictment from the local public prosecutors states Zhang, taking advantage of her position as the president of the No 2 Hospital affiliated to the Shenyang Medical College and her husband's position as deputy-mayor of the city, "illegally accepted money and properties from others, and helped others in securing jobs, promotions and in bidding for projects.''
Zhang was said to have illegally obtained some 455,000 yuan (US$54,950) between February, 1996, and October last year. Zhang and her husband allegedly procured another 78,000 yuan (US$9,400), US$500 and a mink coat valued at 15,000 yuan (US$1,800) between February, 1994, and May, 1999.
Ma, found guilty for taking bribes, graft and embezzlement involving millions of yuan, was sentenced to death. Ma's case has attracted particular attention because he accepted bribery from a gang in Shenyang, and is believed to have provided shelter for the gang members.
On Wednesday, Zhang also faced the charge of bribing eight wardens in the detention house where Ma was detained. The bribery included 57,000 yuan (US$6,900), US$10,000, jewellery, clothes and paintings, according to the indictment.
(China Daily November 16,2001)
