Deputy district chief sentenced to 13 years

A court in Beijing sentenced a former deputy district chief to 13 years in prison on Sunday after finding him guilty of taking bribes, the Beijing Youth Daily reported.

Liu Xiquan, the former deputy chief of Chaoyang district in Beijing, was found guilty of being involved in six cases of bribery, according to a verdict announced by the Beijing Municipal No 1 Intermediate People's Court.

Liu was convicted of receiving a total bribe of 1.85 million yuan ($300,000).

Liu's personal assets of 100,000 yuan will be confiscated. The total amount of the bribe and a camera that was also part of the bribe will be confiscated and turned over to state coffers.

Liu's trial, which started in late May 2011, was the outcome of a continuing investigation into corruption cases in the district's agricultural sector. Before his arrest, several officials at the district-level committee of agriculture had been arrested.