AN ex-police officer with the Shenzhen detention center and a law firm investor stood trial for second hearing Wednesday at Nanshan court for taking bribes to commute jail sentences for inmates.

    The former official was charged with taking bribes and abuse of power while firm investor Zhou Zihan was charged with the taking and offering of bribes.

    The 37-year-old Sun Zhi was appointed as deputy unit chief of Shenzhen No. 1 Detention Center in 2009. Zun was responsible for collecting clues from inmates at the detention center for further investigations, while Zhou Zihan, 38, was an investor of Guangdong Jitang Law Firm. Zhou, who has a secondary school education background, was jailed for five years by Bao’an court in 2006 for blackmailing and was released in April 2008, Shenzhen Economic Daily reported Thursday.

    In March 2011, Hu Jishu, an inmate, received a sentence of life with a two-year suspension for smuggling, selling and transporting drugs at the first hearing. During the second trial period, Hu, who was detained at the Shenzhen No. 1 Detention Center, contacted Sun, asking for a jail term reduction by offering 800,000 yuan (US$131,000).

    According to prosecutors, Sun contacted Hu’s brother Hu Yingzhong, who gave 800,000 yuan to Sun and Sun split half with Zhou in April 2011.

    Between March and May 2011, Sun planted three fake clues that may have helped Hu to offset his guilt. Based on the clues, Hu Jishu wrote three letters of accusation and handed them to Sun Zhi, two of which had been transferred to Fenggang Police Station and Xixiang Police Station by Sun for further investigation.

    Under the arrangement of Zhou and with the clues provided by Hu, Fenghuang Police Station caught a drug dealer Li Chuang and seized 500 grams of drugs in April 2011. In June, another clue also led to the arrest of a drug dealer called Chen Weizhu with 500 grams of drugs by Xixiang Police Station.

    The two police stations submitted two documents proving Hu’s merits in helping police arrest two drug dealers, which Sun transferred to Guangdong Higher People’s Court to help Hu reduce his sentence.

    In September 2012, Guangdong Provincial Higher People’s Court made a final verdict to maintain the original trial’s sentence. Hu Yingzhong demanded Sun give back the 800,000 yuan, but was rejected by Sun.

    At the hearing, Zhou claimed he only took 300,000 yuan, while Sun, who masterminded the crime, shared 500,000 yuan. Sun said he had recorded Zhou when he gave the money to him.

    The court hearing is still continuing.

    (Han Ximin)