NANSHAN District People’s Court held the third hearing of a bribery case involving the former head of Longgang District’s water affairs bureau and the owner of a local construction company Wednesday, Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported.

    Former official Xu Zhenqiu is charged with accepting bribes worth 350,000 yuan (US$56,000) from Li Molian, owner of Shenzhen Xiangzhuo Industrial Co.

    Longgang People’s Procuratorate began an investigation of the two 65-year-olds, Xu and Li, on Aug. 2 last year and they were arrested the following day. Within the month, they were both released on bail and awaiting trial.

    Li’s company, a non-accredited construction firm, successfully bid for several water projects in Longgang and Pingshan in collusion with several large accredited construction companies, including the Shenzhen branch of China Gezhouba Group Corp. and Shenzhen Guanghuiyuan Water Conservancy Construction Co., the court stated.

    Li said he bribed Xu to secure his approval of the project’s funding.

    During the first hearing, Xu stated that he had accepted 350,000 yuan worth of gifts and in return had gifted Li with some “local specialties,” adding that he had never interceded in the project’s bidding process. However, during the second hearing, both accused confessed to the initial charges.

    According to the procuratorate, Xu abused his power to seek benefits for others and should be given criminal sanctions, while Li should also be punished for bribing a public servant.

    (Luo Songsong)

    Xu has returned all the bribes, according to the report. Li and Xu also reported to police two alleged instances of drug trafficking. The case is still under investigation.