Ex-railway official on trial for corruption

A former high-level railway official went on trial in Harbin, capital of Northeast China’s Heilongjiang province, on Monday, after being accused of bribery and illegal possession of a gun and ammunition, Xinhua News Agency reported on Wednesday.

Luo Jinbao, former chairman of China Railway Container Transport Co Ltd, was accused of receiving bribes of 47 million yuan ($7.5 million) between 2005 and 2010 from companies affiliated with China Railway Group and China Railway Construction Co, and from individuals, when he held key railway posts such as head of the Urumqi Railway Bureau and head of a preparation department for building the Shijiazhuang-Taiyuan high-speed railway, the report said.

Luo was also accused of possession of a shotgun and 250 bullets, which is illegal in China. He was detained in March last year.

The court said it would announce the ruling at a future date, according to the report.

Media reports said Luo is closely related to Liu Zhijun, the former minister of railways who came under investigation in February last year for serious corruption.