Ex-vice-mayor of Chongqing tried

Wang Lijun, Chongqing's former vice-mayor and police chief, was tried on Tuesday in a court in Chengdu, Sichuan province, on charges of bribe-taking and bending the law for selfish ends.

The Chengdu Intermediate People's Court had held a closed-door trial on Monday on Wang's two other charges — defection, and abuse of power.

According to the indictment of the Chengdu People's Procuratorate, Wang, then-chief of Chongqing's Public Security Bureau, neglected his duty of investigating and suppressing criminal acts and bent the law for personal gain.

Prosecutors said Wang knew that Bogu Kailai was under serious suspicion of intentional homicide, but he deliberately covered up for her so that she would not be held legally responsible.

The circumstances are especially serious. His behavior violated Clause 1 of Article 399 of the Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China, prosecutors said.

They added that Wang, as a State functionary who knew State secrets, left his post without authorization and defected to another country's consulate while he was performing his official duties.

Those circumstances are also serious, as his behavior violated Article 109 of the Criminal Law, according to prosecutors.

Wang further violated the country's laws and regulations by using technical reconnaissance measures against many people on multiple occasions, either without the approval of authorities or by forging approval documents.

These acts have severely undermined the socialist rule of law, and infringed upon citizens' legitimate rights and interests, prosecutors said.

Wang, acting as a State functionary, took advantage of his position and illegally accepted money and property worth more than 3.05 million yuan ($484,100) in return for securing benefits for other individuals. His behavior has violated Article 385 of the Criminal Law.

He should be held criminally responsible on charges of bending the law for selfish ends, defection, abuse of power and bribe-taking, according to prosecutors.

According to prosecutors, Wang later ordered his police subordinates in Chongqing to collect and preserve evidence of the murder case involving Bogu Kailai. He also reported her possible involvement in the murder to the authorities, provided evidence and willingly assisted in the reinvestigation of the case.

Prosecutors said that because Wang made an important contribution to cracking the case, the penalty for the crime of bending the law for personal gain could be lighter.

After his defection to the US Consulate General in Chengdu, Wang turned himself in and confessed to the crimes he had committed, which could be considered as voluntary surrender, according to prosecutors.

According to Article 67 of the Criminal Law, any criminal who voluntarily surrenders may be given a lighter or mitigated punishment.

Wang should receive a combined punishment for all offenses. His term of punishment should be in line with Article 69 of the Criminal Law, prosecutors said.

He had produced important clues for exposing serious offenses committed by others and played a key part in the investigation of these cases. This can be considered as performing major meritorious services, prosecutors said in the indictment paper.

According to Article 68 of the Criminal Law, he should be given a mitigated punishment, prosecutors said.

Wang's family and relatives as well as journalists, deputies to the people's congress, political advisers and ordinary citizens were in the courtroom on Tuesday.

After that court session, an adjournment was announced, and the judgment will be announced on a day to be decided.

Xinhua