Former Beijing vice-mayor is handed over to prosecutors
The Communist Party has expelled former Beijing vice-mayor Liu Zhihua who oversaw the city's Olympic construction projects and handed him to prosecutors over corruption charges, state media reported yesterday.
Liu was accused of taking bribes totalling several million yuan and helping his mistress seek huge profits in construction projects, Xinhua said, citing anti-graft authorities.
'Liu Zhihua led a decadent lifestyle by keeping a mistress and abused his power to help his mistress get project contracts and seek huge amounts of illegal profits,' it said. Xinhua said Liu would be turned over to the judicial authorities for investigation and punishment, indicating that he was to face trial.
The announcement came amid intense overseas speculation that President Hu Jintao had used Liu's case to expand a graft probe in Beijing, targeting Politburo Standing Committee member Jia Qinglin and Beijing party secretary Liu Qi .
Liu Zhihua, believed to be a protege of Mr Jia, a former Beijing party secretary, was in charge of venue construction for the Beijing Olympics Games before his sudden removal in June.
Yesterday's report was the first time the official media had given some details of his alleged wrongdoings. However, the report was careful to avoid giving any detail about the alleged link between his wrongdoings and the 2008 Olympic Games because the mainland leadership is very wary of any adverse impact on the Games.
