CHINA’S former security chief Zhou Yongkang was sentenced to life imprisonment for accepting bribes, abusing his power and deliberately disclosing State secrets, by Tianjin No. 1 Intermediate People’s Court on Thursday.

    Zhou was also deprived of his political rights for life and had his personal assets confiscated.

    The court heard the case May 22.

    Because Zhou’s trial touched on State secrets, it was not open to the public. Zhou pleaded guilty and will not appeal.

    Zhou was convicted of taking bribes of about 130 million yuan (US$21.3 million).

    According to the court, Zhou used his position to benefit five people who were identified as Wu Bing, Ding Xuefeng, Wen Qingshan, Zhou Hao and Jiang Jiemin. Zhou personally accepted money and property worth 731,100 yuan from Jiang.

    Zhou’s wife, Jia Xiaoye, and son, Zhou Bin, accepted money and property worth 129 million yuan, according to the court.

    Zhou instructed Jiang Jiemin and Li Chuncheng to help the business activities of others, which led to Jiang and Li illegally obtaining 2.14 billion yuan and causing losses of 1.49 billion yuan in State assets, the judgment said.

    Zhou leaked five “extremely confidential” documents and one “confidential” document to Cao Yongzheng, directly contravening China’s State Secret Law.

    The court judgment said Zhou had taken “particularly huge bribes,” but had confessed, pleaded guilty and repented his wrongdoing.

    Most of the money was accepted by Zhou’s relatives, without his prior knowledge, and Zhou asked his relatives to return their illegal gains. All gifts and cash have now been recovered, the judgment said.

    In his final statement, Zhou accepted the charges. “The basic facts are clear. I plead guilty and repent my wrongdoing,” he said.

    Zhou, 72, was a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and retired in 2012.(Xinhua)