Former court official pleads guilty to bribery

Shen Deyong, a former vice-president of China's top court, pleaded guilty to taking bribes worth more than 64.56 million yuan ($9.3 million) while standing trial on Thursday at the Ningbo Intermediate People's Court in Ningbo, Zhejiang province.

Shen, former head of the Committee on Social and Legal Affairs of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, took advantage of his positions, including vice-president of the High People's Court of Jiangxi province and vice-president of China's top court, to provide assistance to departments and individuals in matters such as case handling, project contracting and job promotion, according to prosecutors from Ningbo.

In return, Shen accepted over 64.56 million yuan directly or through his wife and daughter, the prosecutors said, adding Shen should be criminally punished for the crime of bribery.

The Ningbo court said its ruling will be announced at a later date.

More than 30 people, including national legislators, political advisors and journalists, attended the trial as observers.

Shen, 69, a native of Jiangxi, joined the Communist Party of China in 1972 and started his career in 1977. As a law graduate, he had been engaged in the country's judicial system for many years.

Before he became vice-president of the Supreme People's Court, the nation's top court, at the end of 1998, he served as vice-president of the Jiangxi High People's Court and also had experience at the provincial anti-corruption authority.

From November 2006 to April 2008, he was head of the discipline inspection commission of Shanghai. Then, he came back to the top court and became its executive vice-president.

In 2018, he joined the CPPCC's National Committee.

He was placed under investigation for alleged serious violations of discipline and law last March. Six months later, he was expelled from the Party and public office.