Chinese official suspended for forcing man to apologise after he told anti-poverty inspectors he was not getting his benefits
Township chief was filmed making local resident recant after he told higher-level authorities he was not getting money he was entitled to receive
A township chief in southwestern China has been suspended from his post for forcing a 60-year-old man to apologise after he told officials he was not receiving his low-income benefits, state media has reported.
The man named Li Zelong from Dachang town in Chongqing was entitled to receive 392 yuan (US$59) per month in allowances for living below China’s poverty line, news website Thepaper.cn reported, citing a county government spokesman.
Last month inspectors from Wushan county visited Dachang to investigate its anti-poverty work and tried to check that locals were receiving all the money to which they were entitled.
When questioned by the officials, Li told them he was not receiving the money, the spokesman said on Saturday.
Township officials later made a video that was shared on social media in which Li was forced to retract his statement.