Disgraced Panyu boss admits to charges of corruption
Liang Bainan, the former party boss of Guangzhou's Panyu district, appeared in court yesterday to answer four charges of corruption and abuse of power.
Liang was charged with abusing his power and influence and accepting bribes totaling 1.36 million yuan, HK$210,000 and US$28,800 between 1993 and 2003, the Yangcheng Evening News reported.
He had admitted the charges.
During Liang's tenure, a project launched by Hong Kong tycoon Henry Fok Ying-tung on Nansha Island near Panyu faced a multitude of obstacles.
Liang was charged with accepting from 10,000 yuan to 30,000 yuan every Spring Festival and Mid-Autumn Festival from the general manager of the Nansha Port Company, identified only as Mr Chen.
Between 1993 and 2003, Liang made frequent gambling trips to Macau and other destinations, which were financed by his subordinates and private businessmen from Nansha.
He was detained in Macau in 1996 after running up gambling debts and Mr Chen posted HK$200,000 to bail him out.
In his defence, Liang admitted that he had accepted gifts and money from other parties, but claimed this was a normal way to build relationships.
Liang told the court that he had spent the 1 million yuan he received on 'daily expenses' and returned the entire amount after the case was exposed last year.
Separately, the newspaper reported that Guangzhou Mayor Zhang Guangning called on Mr Fok during a visit to Hong Kong on Wednesday and thanked him for his contribution to Nansha.
Mr Zhang said Guangzhou hoped the building of hotel, conference, exhibition and school facilities in Mr Fok's project could be speeded up so that they could serve the city's development.
The Fok Foundation blew the lid on corruption in Nansha in a series of published articles last week after Liang's case was publicised.
