Beijing, Jan 3 (IANS): A former party chief of Zhumadian city in China was on Tuesday sentenced to life in prison for taking bribes.
A Chinese court convicted Liu Guoqing of accepting 67.99 million yuan ($9.8 million) and 100,000 Hong Kong dollars in bribes when he held the posts of deputy head of the provincial public security department as well as mayor and Communist Party chief of the city, Xinhua news agency reported.
Liu accepted the bribes to help people with promotions and construction projects, the court said.
He was deprived of his political rights for the rest of his life, and all his personal property was confiscated.
Liu said he will appeal the verdict.