We were in love, says ex-Chongqing official in sex-tape scandal's latest twist
Former party official retracts confession over alleged bribes, saying that he and a woman in a video are genuinely in love
The former Chongqing Communist Party official embroiled in an unfolding sex-tape scandal yesterday in court retracted his confession over alleged bribes, saying he and the woman in a video were genuinely in love.
Lei Zhengfu, the former party secretary of the municipality's Beibei district, who was fired after the video went viral online in November, went on trial at the Chongqing No1 Intermediate People's Court, accused of accepting 3.16 million yuan (HK$4 million) in bribes.
Lei questioned the reliability of witness testimony and said his confession had been made when he was suffering from high blood pressure, media reports said.
Chinese Business News said the court would deliver its verdict later. Lei could face the death penalty or life imprisonment if found guilty.
The 55-year-old argued that he did not think most of the money stated in the prosecutor's charges amounted to bribery.
Lei said he and Zhao Hongxia , the woman who appeared in the sex video with him, were in a loving relationship. The prosecution and earlier media reports said she was hired by developers seeking favours in bids for construction projects.