Ex-Sinopec GM jailed for corruption

Wang Tianpu, former general manager of oil giant China Petroleum and Chemical Corp, also known as Sinopec, was sentenced on Tuesday to 15 and a half years in prison for bribery and embezzlement, according to a court in Jiangxi province.

The Nanchang Intermediate People's Court also imposed a fine of 3.2 million yuan ($468,300) on Wang and ordered the confiscation of all his illicit gains.

According to the court, he was involved in money trading to seek promotions. He abused his position to benefit his relatives' business and failed to stop indulging them even after warnings from authorities.

The court found that between 2003 and 2014, Wang abused his power to gain benefits for others in relation to business operations, the undertaking of projects and job placement, accepting in return bribes worth a total of 33.4 million yuan.

He flouted the Communist Party of China's frugality rule by using public funds to hold personal banquets, and illegally embezzled State-owned assets worth about 800,000 yuan.

The court said it issued a lenient punishment because Wang confessed to his crimes and expressed regret, and all his ill-gotten assets have been recovered.

In September last year, Wang was expelled from the Party for corruption and other violations of the Party code of conduct.

He is the second high-ranking official to be sentenced for corruption since Sunday. On Monday, Su Rong, former vice-chairman of China's top political advisory body, was sentenced to life in prison for bribery, abusing public power and possessing a huge amount of unexplained assets.

Since late 2012, anti-graft has become a top priority for the country, with President Xi Jinping conducting a sweeping drive to fight corruption. To date, more than 200 high-ranking officials have been investigated for alleged graft issues.

zhangyan1@chinadaily.com.cn