Former Inner Mongolia bank head given suspended death sentence for graft

Yang Chenglin, former head of Bank of Inner Mongolia, was given a suspended death sentence on Friday for bribery, corruption and embezzlement, China Central Television reported.

The Baotou Intermediate People’s Court announced the ruling, saying Yang had made use of his positions, including being head of Bank of Inner Mongolia and the head of a commercial bank in Hohhot, the capital of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, to ask for illegal benefits of more than 307 million yuan ($44.5 million) after offering “help” to others between 2000 and 2013.

He corruptly received more than 6.28 million yuan of public funds, meant to pay construction and conference costs, at the same time, the ruling said.

Yang also colluded with others to embezzle 292 million yuan for private use and profit-making activities, it added.

“Yang’s behaviors committed the crimes of bribery, corruption and embezzlement, and the amounts of money he illegally obtained, embezzled and corruptly received were very huge,” the court said in the judgment. “The moves brought great negative effects to society and seriously harmed the interests of the country and the people.”

Given that he pleaded guilty and voluntarily confessed to corruption that the judicial authorities had been unaware of when he was detained, the court said it decided to give him the death penalty with a two-year reprieve.

All his personal properties had been confiscated, it said.

“Yang’s sentence will not be commuted and he will not eligible for parole when his sentence is reduced to life imprisonment,” the court added.