Bo Xilai's trial to continue on Sunday

Photo taken on Aug 21, 2013 shows the Jinan Intermediate People's Court, in Jinan, East China's Shandong province. [Photo/Xinhua]

JINAN - The Jinan Intermediate People's Court on Saturday held the third-day hearing on the case of bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power involving Bo Xilai. It will continue the trial Sunday.

Bo, 64, is former secretary of the Chongqing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and a former member of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau.

Wang Zhenggang, then director of the Dalian municipal bureau of urban and rural planning and land, and Wang Lijun, former vice mayor of Chongqing, gave testimonies in court on charges of embezzlement and abuse of power, respectively, against Bo.

During the trial on Saturday morning, prosecutors played video-audio materials recorded from Bo's wife, Bogu Kailai, while she was questioned on Aug. 10, as testimonies.

Prosecutors also read testimonies by other witnesses and presented at the court Bo's admission and statement written by himself, proving that Wang Zhenggang remitted 5 million yuan (817,000 U.S. dollars) of project funds to a bank account appointed by Bogu. The remitting was conducted as agreed by Bo and after Wang consulted with Bogu.

Prosecutors, the defendant and his lawyers cross-examined the above evidence.

Bo claimed he did not intend to embezzle the funds, but said he should bear some responsibility for not having closely questioned the remitting of money to Bogu's account. Bo said he took an "indulgent" attitude to the issue.

Prosecutors said the accusations about the illegal embezzlement of the project funds were presented clearly and the evidence was authentic.

The court investigation on Saturday afternoon focused on the charge of Bo's abuse of power.

In January and February of 2012, while serving as secretary of the CPC Chongqing Municipal Committee, Bo abused his power when it was reported that Bogu was suspected of intentional homicide, and when Wang Lijun defected, the indictment said.

Facing examinations by prosecutors, Bo frequently said, "[I] cannot remember clearly. Procurators' investigation and verifications have final say."

Prosecutors, Bo and his lawyers also cross-examined Wang Lijun for about 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Wang proved all the facts about Bo's alleged abuse of power.

Prosecutors and the defending side also fully examined the documentary evidence and other witnesses' testimonies.

In the previous two days of trial, prosecutors accused Bo of accepting bribes worth about 21.8 million yuan from businessmen Tang Xiaolin, general manager of Dalian International Development Co. Ltd, and Xu Ming, chairman of Dalian Shide Group Co. Ltd. Bo denied the bribery charge.

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Fallen senior official Bo Xilai rejected his wife's testimony, saying that she is "crazy" and "always tells lies" on Friday, the second day of a high-profile public trial.

Bo, 64, a former member of the Communist Party of China Central Committee Political Bureau and former Party chief of Chongqing, was accused of accepting bribes worth about 21.8 million yuan ($3.5 million) from Tang Xiaolin, general manager of Dalian International Development, and Xu Ming, chairman of the Dalian Shide Group, and of embezzling 5 million yuan in public funds from the Dalian government. [Full story]

Bo Xilai denies charges of bribery

Former senior official Bo Xilai denied bribery charges against him during the first day of the high-profile court hearing on Thursday.

Bo stood on trial on charges of bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power at Jinan Intermediate People's Court. [Full story]