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Shanxi official jailed for 6 years
(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-01-06 07:38

A senior official from Shanxi was jailed for six years on Sunday after being found guilty of causing a traffic accident that led to the deaths of the province's top political advisor and her assistant.

A release from the People's Court of Yingze District where the case was heard said Li Yi, vice-chairman of the Xinzhou city committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), was jailed for causing the deaths of his provincial supervisor Jin Yinhuan and her secretary Wang Rong.

On Oct 11, Jin was returning to the provincial capital Taiyuan in a Toyota SUV after an inspection tour of Xinzhou. She was being escorted by a police car and another SUV, China News Service reported earlier.

As he attempted to overtake the motorcade, Li, who was driving a Toyota sedan, collided with Jin's vehicle, which was then struck by the second SUV and overturned, it said.

Jin and Wang were taken to hospital but died two days later from their injuries, it said.

The driver of their car was slightly injured.

Police detained Li, who went on trial at the people's court of Yingze district in Taiyuan on Dec 26.

The court found Li solely responsible for the accident.

The sentence also reflects Li's attempt to cover up his involvement by asking his driver Li Zhifu to take the blame, the release said.

Li Zhifu was given a one-year sentence suspended for one year for his part in the attempted cover-up.

Jin's lawyer had called for Li to be charged with murder, but the court rejected the appeal for lack of evidence.

"I would not have murdered her as we were course mates in college, and Jin also helped me in my career," Li told the court.

"I will spend every penny I have to compensate the families of the victims," he said.