Ex-army leader Xu Caihou had 'a tonne of cash' in basement

One of the country's most senior former military officers hoarded more than a tonne of cash and also precious jade in his basement, a magazine reported yesterday, the latest details to emerge from the high-profile case amid Beijing's war on graft.

Military prosecutors have said that Xu Caihou, a former vice-chairman of the powerful Central Military Commission, had confessed to taking massive bribes in exchange for help in promotions.

Officials say Xu, who retired as vice-chairman last year and from the ruling Communist Party's decision-making Politburo in 2012, will probably face a court martial now that an investigation has been finished.

Prosecutors searched Xu's luxury home in Beijing in March and discovered stashed in the basement more than a tonne of US dollars, euros and yuan, reported Phoenix Weekly, a magazine run by broadcaster Phoenix Television.

Xu also stored countless precious gems and hundreds of kilograms of expensive jade, as well as rare antiques, the magazine said, citing a person with knowledge of the matter who is close to high levels of the military.

"Case handlers had no option but to call more than 10 military trucks before all the confiscated property piled up like mountains from this former Central Military Commission vice-chairman's house could be taken away," the magazine said. The report, which was carried by several mainland news outlets, added that Xu was forced to "bow his head and admit defeat" when confronted with a list of the items.