Bai Enpei, a 70-year old member of parliament, has been sentenced to death in China for corruption.
Enpei was brought before the court for abuse of political office for his personal interest. He was accused of collecting bribes totaling 246 million yuan, and going against the government’s policies.
The former senior legislator with China’s legislature, the National People’s Congress, was also accused of owning excessive assets without a traceable source of income.
Chinese government claimed he intentionally misappropriated funds from the government and siphoned the money to his name.
Bai held the secretary’s position from October 2001 to August 2011.
Enpei was handed a two-year reprieve, as he had admitted his crimes and expressed regret, and because the assets were recovered in full, the court said.
Typically death sentences are converted to life imprisonment subject to good behaviour.
"The amount of bribes Bai Enpei accepted was huge, the details of his crimes extremely serious, and their social impact especially pernicious," the Anyang city intermediate court in the central province of Henan said on its official blog.