SW China former vice mayor jailed for nine and a half years over bribery

CHENGDU, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- A former vice mayor of Emeishan city, in southwest China's Sichuan Province, was sentenced Friday by a local court for nine and a half years for taking bribes and being in unaccountable possession of a large sum of money.

Wan Xiaoping was charged with taking 370,000 yuan (51,100 U.S. dollars) of bribes from five companies in the city and sought improper gains for them, including helping them get construction contracts, in 2004 and 2005 when he was the vice mayor, according to the intermediate court of Leshan City.

Meanwhile, he was in unaccountable possession of 922,440 yuan and 1,500 dollars, the court heard.

The court verdict said the judges showed leniency after taking into consideration Wan's confession of the bribery when authorities began investigations against him.

The court handed down a sentence of nine and a half years on Wan, and confiscated the 922,440 yuan and 1,500 dollars that he failed to account for.