Former housing official sentenced

A former senior official with the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development was convicted of accepting bribes and sentenced to 12 years in prison, the Beijing Times said on Monday.

Liu Yuxin, deputy director of the construction market supervision department under the ministry, was found guilty of abusing his position.

From 2000 to 2011 he took bribes from enterprises bidding for contracts, receiving cash and goods woth about 2.88 million yuan ($465,000). These included properties, shares and luxury cars, according to Beijing No 1 Intermediate court.

He was detained at the end of 2011.

The court also decided to confiscate property valued at 300,000 yuan.

Liu has until Sunday to lodge an appeal.