Beijing, Sep 18 (IANS) A former police chief in China faced an open trial Tuesday for graft and bending the law for selfish ends.
Wang Lijun, having served as Chongqing city’s vice mayor and police chief, appeared in a court in Sichuan province’s Chengdu city, Xinhua reported.
The Chengdu City Intermediate People’s Court had held a closed-door trial Monday on Wang’s two other charges of defection and abuse of power.
The ex-police chief at the heart of China’s biggest political scandal in years did not contest the charges against him, reported BBC quoting court officials.
Wang’s trial for defection, abuse of power and bribe-taking ended Tuesday. The verdict would be given at a later date, officials added.
According to the indictment of the Chengdu City People’s Procuratorate, Wang, then-chief of Chongqing’s Public Security Bureau, had neglected his duty of investigating and suppressing criminal acts and bent the law for personal gain.
Prosecutors said Wang knew perfectly well that Bogu Kailai, wife of a former Chinese politician Bo Xilai, was under serious suspicion of intentional homicide. But he deliberately covered up for her so that Bogu would not be held legally responsible.
On Aug.20, Bogu was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve on charges of murdering British businessman Neil Heywood.
On Tuesday, the prosecutors said Wang’s behaviour violated Chinese criminal law.
Wang, as a state functionary who knew state secrets, left his post without authorisation and defected to another country’s consulate while he was performing his official duty, they added.
According to prosecutors, these acts have severely undermined the socialist rule of law, infringed citizens’ legitimate rights and interests, and violated criminal law.
Wang, acting as a state functionary, took advantage of his position and illegally accepted money and property worth more than three million yuan (over $480,000), in return for securing benefits for other individuals.
