Former Fujian governor sentenced to 16 years in prison for bribery, power abuse

SHANGHAI - Su Shulin, former governor of East China's Fujian province, was sentenced to 16 years in prison and fined 3 million yuan for bribery and power abuse by a court in Shanghai Thursday.

Su's illicit gains will be turned over to the state treasury, according to the verdict announced by the Second Intermediate People's Court of Shanghai.

The trial, which was closed to the public as the case concerned state secrets, took place on May 11, said the court.

The court found that between 1997 and 2013, Su took advantage of his positions to seek benefit for others through business operations, personnel arrangements, and promotions.

He was convicted of accepting money and gifts worth over 36.22 million yuan ($5.35 million) personally or through his relatives, said the court.

When Su served as Leading Party Members Group Secretary of Sinopec, China's leading oil company, and its general manager between 2008 and 2009, he abused his power in an overseas acquisition, and caused "tremendously huge" damage to national interests, said the court.

Su confessed his crimes, provided leads on his case, and returned all the bribes, which constituted mitigation of sentence, the court said.