Beijing
China on Tuesday (Dec 17) executed a former official who was convicted in the country's largest-ever corruption case. According to a report by the state-run Xinhua news agency, the death sentence was awarded to Li Jianping, a former official in the north Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.
Xinhua reported that Li was convicted in China's largest-ever corruption case which totalled up to $421 million. Li, 64, had been the former secretary of the Communist Party's Working Committee of the Hohhot Economic and Technological Development Zone.
Death sentence was initially issued in September 2022
Xinhua reported that the death sentence to Li was initially issued in September 2022. At that time, he was charged with taking bribes, misusing public funds and colluding with a criminal syndicate.
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He lost an appeal in August and his sentence was then approved by the Supreme People’s Court. Tuesday's execution followed the approval of the Supreme People’s Court and was carried out by a court in Inner Mongolia.
Li was allowed time with family before execution
A report by Bloomberg on Tuesday said that Li was allowed time with family members before his execution.
This death sentence is uncommon as it is rare for Chinese officials to receive death penalty for corruption charges. More frequently they get a two-year reprieve from execution, with their sentence commuted to life imprisonment for good behaviour.
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Since coming to power in 2012, President Xi Jinping has made anti-corruption a key part of his governance.
Bloomberg reported in October that President Xi's anti-corruption campaign implicated a record number of senior officials for two straight years (2023 and 2024).
(With inputs from agencies)