Former Chinese justice minister Fu Zhenghua jailed for life for corruption

Once one of the country’s most powerful police chiefs, Fu was convicted of taking US$16 million in bribes

Same court also sentenced senior political and legal affairs official Wang Like to life imprisonment, also for graft

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Fu Zhenghua, 67, was handed a suspended death sentence that will be commuted to life imprisonment after two years. Photo: CCTV

Published: 6:00pm, 22 Sep 2022Updated: 8:35pm, 22 Sep 2022

Former justice minister Fu Zhenghua, once one of China’s most powerful police chiefs, has been jailed for life for taking bribes, according to state media.

Wang Like, who was in charge of political and legal affairs in eastern Jiangsu province, was also sentenced on Thursday to life imprisonment for accepting bribes.

Fu, 67, and Wang, 57, both received suspended death sentences that will be commuted to life in prison after two years, without parole, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Thursday.

Wang Like, 57, has also been jailed for life for taking bribes. Photo: CCTV

It follows the jailing of three former regional police chiefs for corruption on Wednesday – all accused of disloyalty to President Xi Jinping and being part of a “political clique” led by former public security vice-minister Sun Lijun.

The purge comes ahead of a major leadership reshuffle at the twice-a-decade Communist Party congress that begins on October 16, when Xi is expected to secure a third term in power.

Fu and Wang were both sentenced in the Changchun Intermediate People’s Court in northeastern Jilin province.

Fu was convicted of accepting 117 million yuan (US$16.6 million) in bribes and using his position to cover up his brother’s crimes, CCTV reported. Wang was found guilty of accepting more than 440 million yuan in bribes, and for covering up triad activities and forging identity documents.

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