Wukan village head admits taking bribes

Lin Zulian, who was the top official of Wukan village, has admitted taking bribes, according to the senior public prosecutor in Shanwei, Guangdong province, which has jurisdiction over Wukan. Lin was detained by police over the weekend.

"I had poor awareness of the law, so I accepted commissions on the village's livelihood construction projects and took bribes for the purchase of the village's collective assets as well," Lin said, according to officials investigating the case. "This is my most serious crime. I will confess all my crimes to the procuratorial organ."

Yuan Huaiyu, chief procurator at Shanwei intermediate people's procuratorate, said Lin was dismissed from his post for violation of laws and regulations, and the investigation is continuing.

"Procuratorial organs have received reports suggesting that Lin accepted bribes and had other economic problems since the beginning of the year," Yuan said at a news conference on Tuesday. The amount of money Lin is accused of accepting was not released.

After more than three months of investigation, the procuratorate took formal action to investigate on Friday, Yuan said.

Lin, 72, was taken away after dozens of police cars arrived in Wukan on Friday night and early Saturday morning.

The police have urged villagers to actively cooperate with the investigation and to report any illegal activities to the police and prosecutors.

Lin was first elected as Party chief and director of the Wukan village committee in 2012. He was re-elected in 2014.

Wukan, a coastal fishing village in the eastern part of Guangdong province, was last in the media spotlight in 2011, when rallies lasting four months protested the actions of a previous village head.

The rallies ended when an agreement was made in face-to-face talks between villagers and senior Guangdong provincial officials in 2012.

Yang Semao, who at the time was deputy director of Wukan's village committee, was detained on allegations of accepting bribes.

zhengcaixiong@chinadaily.com.cn