Ex-Shanxi legislator pleads guilty to accepting bribes

Zhang Maocai, a former senior legislator in Shanxi province, pleaded guilty to taking bribes of more than 72.44 million yuan ($10.22 million) on Thursday at Zibo Intermediate People's Court in Shandong province.

From 2002 to 2018, Zhang made use of his various work positions in Shanxi, including the mayor of Linfen city, secretary of the Yuncheng Committee of the Communist Party of China and deputy director of the Standing Committee of Shanxi Provincial Peoples' Congress, to offer help for others in their enterprise operations, construction contracts, and job promotion or transfers, according to prosecutors from Zibo.

In return, Zhang illegally accepted bribes directly or through his relatives from those being aided, the prosecutors said.

More than 60 people, such as deputies of the National People's Congress and journalists, attended the public case hearing.

The court said the ruling would be announced at a later date.

In July, the Supreme People's Procuratorate approved the detention Zhang for suspected bribe acceptance.

In March, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of CPC and the National Supervisory Commission said Zhang was under investigation. He was expelled from the CPC for violations in June.