Minister Pleads Guilty
Written by JDPGlobal | Tuesday, 20 December 2005
A former government minister Tain Fengshan pleaded guilty to charges of bribery on seventeen counts. He had previously handled the portfolio of land and resources. The ex-minister took almost five million yuan between ’95 and ’03. Most of the money traded hands into his when he held posts at Heilongjiang in North Eastern China. There he held the posts of Vice Secretary of the party and governor.
He accepted a hundred thousand yuan from a former government servant from the province and who was the prime suspect and key witness in the case. He was given a suspended death sentence.
Tian showed no resistance yesterday. He accepted all the charges. The money though was got back in full but the opposing counsel did not consider that a good thing for the defence. The trial went on for half a day. The sentence is due sometime soon. The whole network of people in this bribe taking process involve at least two hundred and sixty five people.
