Taxi company manager remorseful over bribery charges

The manager of a Guangzhou taxi company said he was filled with remorse for accepting bribes or "tea fees" from new drivers during a court hearing on Wednesday in the Guangdong provincial capital.

"I have damaged the image of my company and the entire taxi sector in Guangzhou," Cai Jinlun , manager of Guangzhou Daxin Taxi Company, told the presiding judge Huang Hongzhi during a public hearing in Guangzhou's Yuexiu district people's court.

Cai, 45, wearing a yellow prisoner's garb, was brought to court for accepting bribes. He is accused of taking bribes valued at 22,000 yuan ($3,492) from eight local taxi drivers in 10 separate cases between August 2004 and July 2011.

Cai admitted that he asked for "tea fees" when recruiting new drivers, and said he suggested candidates pay the fee because of the fierce competition for employment at his company.

"I deeply regret asking for the 'tea fees' as I usually earn from 60,000 to 70,000 yuan a month as manager of the taxi company," Cai said.

Cai asked the court for a lenient sentence because of his good attitude toward his crimes. Cai has confessed to three bribery cases that relevant departments were not aware of when he was detained by police in February.

According to the presiding judge, Cai might be sentenced to less than five years in jail according to Chinese laws, and the court would consider Cai's good attitude toward before issuing a verdict.

The court has not yet issued a verdict.