Former mayor in north China condemned to death over corruption

HOHHOT, Aug. 21 -- The former mayor of Chifeng City in north

China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Xu Guoyuan, was sentenced to death

with a two-year reprieve Friday for taking bribes and holding a huge amount of

property with unidentified sources.

His wife Li Minjie was sentenced three years in jail with a five-year

reprieve, for taking bribes and helping conceal some of the money, by the

Intermediate People's Court of Baotao City.

Xu, 53, had been found to accept 12.58 million yuan (1.84 million U.S.

dollars) between 2002 and 2007, while Li had taken 170,000 yuan, according to

the court.

Xu took the bribes mostly from managers of real estate companies and

granted them preferential treatment in building residential compounds and a

reservoir as well finding jobs for their relatives.

He also allowed a mining boss surnamed Wang in 2004 to purchase a lead

smelting factory with favorable environment protection and tax policies.

Meanwhile, the family failed to account for another 14.1 million yuan worth

of property.

The court also confiscated all Xu's property and 100,000 yuan from Li. It

also fined Li 100,000 yuan.