By Qian Yanfeng and Wang Yaoqiang (China Daily)
Updated: 2008-04-24 06:55

The first trial of Yin Guoyuan, a senior figure in the Shanghai social security fund scandal, closed Wednesday without a verdict.

Sixty-four-year-old Yin, the former deputy director of the Shanghai municipal housing, land and resource administration bureau, is charged, among other things, with taking bribes, abuse of power. His wife Chen Wei is also accused of taking bribes.

The trial, at Shanghai No 1 Intermediate People's Court, was held behind closed doors, with only a few relatives allowed to participate.

Zhai Jian, Yin's defense lawyer, said the court concluded yesterday, but he refused to reveal further details.

A court press officer replied "No comment" when asked about the case by China Daily.

The verdict will be given at a later, as yet undecided, date.

Yin is alleged to have received bribes of money, assets, stock and property, valued at more than 36.7 million yuan ($5.25 million). His wife is accused of receiving bribes worth 8.63 million yuan.

Yin is also accused of being in possession of property worth 8.12 million yuan and $20,000 in cash, for which he could not account, and charged with abuse of power by obtaining benefits for others and receiving more than 40 million yuan in return.

In September, Zhu Wenjin, head of a division of the bureau in charge of approving land sales, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for taking bribes and approving illegal land acquisition.

Five other officials from the bureau are under investigation, Caijing magazine reported.

Earlier this month, former Shanghai Party chief Chen Liangyu was sentenced to 18 years in jail.

Meanwhile, the trial of a high-profile official began yesterday at the Changsha municipal intermediate people's court in Hunan province. It ended without verdict.

Zeng Jinchun, former head of the Party's discipline inspection commission in Chenzhou, Hunan, was in court for allegedly taking 31.52 million yuan in bribes between 1997 and 2006.

He was also unable to account for property worth 9.6 million.

The case, which comprises 44 separate charges, is expected to last three days.

Earlier this month, the same court tried the former Party chief of Chenzhou, Li Dalun, for allegedly taking bribes of more than 14.3 million yuan and being unable to account for 17.6 million yuan worth of assets. He is alleged to have received bribes for helping construction firms land major contracts.

The trial ended without a verdict.