Scrutiny urged to curb grassroots graft

Prosecutors and legal experts have called for tougher supervision of project investment, especially in rural areas, to prevent opportunities for graft among grassroots officials.

Prosecutors in Beijing's Changping district said they have handled 78 corruption cases since 2008 and eventually convicted 83 of the 98 suspects tried.

"In the cases, 29 defendants were in charge of projects and some were just common employees," said Yang Lin, director of the district's anti-graft department. "In other words, all were far from high-level officials, but had relatively easy access to investment money."