Government and Policy

Academies get a lesson as 12 corrupt cases probed

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-01-05 21:13

BEIJING: Prosecutors in Beijing's main academic district are warning research institutes to keep better accounts after revealing a string of corruption cases involving scholars.

The Haidian District prosecutors investigated 12 corruption cases from 2005 to 2009, involving 2.79 million yuan (US$408,600) and mostly degree-holding suspects, the official newspaper of China's Supreme People's Procuratorate reported Tuesday.

In one case, a researcher of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) registered a company and used the company's invoices to claim reimbursement for checks worth 710,000 yuan (US$104,000), the Procuratorial Daily reported.

In one instance, the researcher claimed just 20 yuan when he went to his supervisor for a signature, according to the report. He later added "3100" before the figure "20" and drew the money from the accountant.

Another case concerned an official in charge of employee welfare at a technical academy who took more than 210,000 yuan in kickbacks from a gymnasium after buying gym cards for the employees of his work unit.

Prosecutors attributed the crimes to inadequate supervision by the work units and the suspects' lack of knowledge of the law.

"Research bodies should follow and check expenditure of their programs regularly," procurator Zhang Xiaobing was quoted as saying.

Procurators also suggested research bodies educate their employees to respect the law.

Haidian is home to more than 200 research institutes at national or municipal level, including the Chinese Academy of Sciences.