A former official from Beijing's Bank of Agriculture has been sentenced to death, after being charged with taking bribes worth more than 10 million yuan (US$1.25 million) and embezzling more than 4.32 million yuan, Xinhua news agency reported today.

Wen Mengjie, 49, was the official in charge of information technology at the Beijing branch from February, 1999 to February, 2004.

He took advantage of his position in power, while purchasing electronic facilities and software for the bank, by accepting bribes totalling 10.73 million yuan.

Wen also embezzled 4.32 million yuan in corporate funds, while he was in charge of purchasing automated teller machines (ATM) for the bank.

The Beijing No. 1 Intermediate People's Court heard Wen's case. All of his personal property and assets will now be confiscated.

A business corruption crackdown office for the city also announced the verdicts of three others criminals yesterday.

Wang Yue, 37, will be jailed for 10 years for taking a bribe of 100,000 yuan in July, 1999, while she worked for the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation.

Lu Yongqiang, 39, a former official of the China National Medicine and Health Products Import and Export Corporation, will also be imprisoned for 10 years for taking kickbacks from a Shanghai company on four occasions totalling 169,000 yuan.

Former director of Beijing Telecommunication Facility Factory Yuan Xinhua, 51, was charged with taking a bribe of 100,000 yuan in January, 1999. He will also be jailed for 10 years.