Former police chief sentenced to death for murder

Zhao Liping, former police chief and senior political adviser in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region, has been sentenced to death by a court in Shanxi for murder.

The 65-year-old former deputy chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Inner Mongolia Committee was also stripped of his political rights for life, and fined 2 million yuan ($294,000), according to Taiyuan city Intermediate People's Court in Shanxi province.

He is the first person to be sentenced to death with no reprieve since late 2012, when the new leadership was elected and President Xi Jinping began a sweeping drive to fight corruption.

Zhao was also accused of illegally possessing explosives, firearms and ammunition, as well as taking bribes.

In March last year, Zhao shot and killed a 28-year-old woman in Chifeng city.

Upon arriving at the scene, police found two guns and 49 bullets, as well as 91 explosives detonators Zhao kept in his office.

The court said between 2008 and 2010, while serving as director of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region's public security bureau, Zhao accepted 23.68 million yuan ($3.48 million) in bribes, in return for securing promotions and authorizing business deals.

He was given the death sentence, instead of a more lenient punishment, due to the nature of his crimes and his refusal to admit to them, "which resulted in great social harm and bad influence", the court said.

Since November 2012, anti-corruption has become a top priority for the country and more than 140 high-ranking officials have been sentenced or placed under investigation for alleged graft, including Zhou Yongkang, former top security chief, who was jailed for life in June 2015.

Sentencing Zhao Liping to death reflects the Party's "resolute determination to combat corruption," said Li Wei, a lawyer from Beijing Lawyers' Association.

"No matter who is involved or how powerful they are, they will receive their punishment according to the law."