The trial of a former top Chinese official accused of gangster links, rape and taking bribes ended yesterday, the court said, bringing to a close the highest-profile case yet of a huge mafia crackdown.
A verdict on the case of Wen Qiang (文強), former justice department director in municipality of Chongqing, would be announced at an undisclosed, later date, the No. 5 Intermediate People’s Court said in a statement.
HIGH-RANKING
Wen, 54, is the highest-ranking official to appear in the dock in a string of prosecutions over corruption and mafia crime in the sprawling city that has gripped the nation with lurid details of sex and violence.
At least nine people have been reported executed or sentenced to death in the trials, which have shocked the public by exposing the impunity enjoyed by mafia kingpins as they terrorized Chongqing and lived debauched lifestyles.
Wen, who was also once a top police official in the city, has been charged with accepting more than US$2 million in bribes, protecting mafia rings and four counts of rape, a previous court statement said.
The trial began on Tuesday and ended in the early yesterday after hours of legal sparring.
Evidence and testimony related to the allegations of bribery and mafia protection were heard in open court, but the section devoted to the rape charges took place behind closed doors, the court statement said. Wen was on trial with four other people, including his wife.
A report by the Xinhua news agency said Wen’s lawyer rejected a lot of the evidence pertaining to alleged bribe-taking and had pleaded not guilty to his client protecting mafia rings.
STUD RANCH
In November, Wen’s sister-in-law, Xie Caiping (謝才萍), was sentenced to 18 years in prison on charges of running illegal gambling dens and drug dealing.
She reportedly drove a Mercedes-Benz, owned several luxury villas and kept a stable of 16 young men to provide her with sexual services.
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