In a significant legal development within the Chinese mainland, two former defense ministers, Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, have been sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve. The sentences were handed down separately by China's military court following convictions on graft charges.
Both Wei and Li held prominent roles in the nation's governance, having served as former members of the Central Military Commission and former state councilors. Their sentencing highlights the ongoing efforts to ensure accountability and integrity among high-ranking officials.
According to the court's findings, the two officials were involved in bribery. Wei Fenghe was convicted of the crime of accepting bribes, while Li Shangfu was found guilty of both accepting and offering bribes. In addition to their primary sentences, both men have been stripped of their political rights for life, and all of their personal property is to be confiscated.
Under the terms of the ruling, the death sentences with a two-year reprieve will be commuted to life imprisonment upon the expiration of the reprieve period. The military court further clarified that no further commutation or parole will be permitted once the sentence is converted to life imprisonment, emphasizing the severity of the crimes committed.
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China sentences ex-defense ministers to death with reprieve for graft
cgtn.com
