Former SPC vice-president guilty of accepting bribes

Shen Deyong, a former vice-president of China's top court, pleaded guilty to taking bribes of more than 64.5 million yuan ($9.3 million) at the Ningbo Intermediate People's Court in Ningbo, Zhejiang province on Thursday.

Shen, former head of the Committee on Social and Legal Affairs of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, took advantage of his various positions, including as vice-president of the High People's Court of Jiangxi province and vice-president of China's top court, to provide assistance to departments and individuals in matters such as case handling, project contracting and job promotions, according to prosecutors from Ningbo.

In return, Shen accepted over 64.5 million yuan directly or through his wife and daughter, prosecutors said during his trial, adding that he should be criminally punished for bribery.

The Ningbo court said that the ruling will be announced at a later date.

More than 30 people, including national legislators, political advisers and journalists, attended the trial as observers.

A native of Jiangxi, 69-year-old Shen joined the Communist Party of China in 1972 and started his career in 1977. As a law school graduate, he had been engaged in the country's judicial system for many years.

Before he became vice-president of the Supreme People's Court, the nation's top court, at the end of 1998, he served as vice-president of the Jiangxi High People's Court and also had worked for the provincial anti-corruption authority.

From November 2006 to April 2008, he was head of the discipline inspection commission of Shanghai. He then returned to the top court and became its executive vice-president.

In 2018, he became a member of the CPPCC's National Committee.

He was placed under investigation after being accused of seriously violating Party disciplines and the State law in March last year. Six months later, he was expelled from the Party and public office.