Deputy police chief jailed 11 years over deadly Shenzhen club fire

A former high-ranking Shenzhen police officer linked to a nightclub fire that killed 44 people, including five from Hong Kong, was yesterday sentenced by a Shenzhen district court to 11 years in jail for dereliction of duty and corruption.

Chen Xuming , 38, who was deputy head of Longgang district's public security bureau at the time of the blaze, was ordered to serve six years in jail for taking 60,000 yuan (HK$68,000) in bribes from the owner of the Dance King nightclub and another six-year term for dereliction of duty in allowing the unlicensed club to operate.

The Yantian District Court subtracted one year from the combined sentence and confiscated all of Chen's illicit earnings.

Chen told the court he would consult lawyers to decide whether to appeal to the Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court against his conviction. He has 10 days to appeal. Chen, who had pleaded not guilty to the charges, claimed during his trial in November that he was a scapegoat.

Handing down the guilty verdicts, Judge Duan Hui said Chen had caused severe harm to the public and his dereliction and conduct were intolerable in a public servant.

'It was Chen's responsibility to lead and supervise crackdowns on unlicensed entertainment venues in Longgang district,' the judge said. 'But he was seriously irresponsible and allowed the Dance King nightclub to operate without a licence or necessary firefighting devices. [He also] tolerated drug dealing, prostitution, rape, fights and other criminal activity in the nightclub for more than a year.'

Judge Duan said Chen did not take action against the illegal nightclub even though police officers had inspected the Dance King 15 times in the 12 months before the fire.