Ex-Party chief of Wukan admits corruption charges

Lin Zulian, former Party chief of Wukan village has admitted to have accepted commissions valued at 80,000 yuan ($12,307.69) in constructing a plastic runway alone in his village school.

Whether the runway is a poisonous one or has other quality problems is still being investigated, according to a statement from Shanwei Intermediate People's Procuratorate which was released on Thursday.

Samples of the plastic runway have been collected and sent to relevant institutes in Shenzhen special economic zone for further inspection and examination, said the statement.

Lin, 72, was detained last Friday night for allegedly using his power for personal gain and accepting large sums of bribes when he was in office.

After Lin was detained, he admitted to having taken bribes in lands sales and other livelihood construction projects.

According to the public procurators, Lin once sold more than 300 m (20 hectares) of land in his village at a very low price without any discussion with other village carders and village representatives.

Initial investigations have indicated that Lin had accepted bribes valued between 500,000 and 600,000 yuan.

Shanwei Intermediate People's Procuratorate has formally put on file to further investigate Lin's case last Friday to protect the legal interest of the villagers.

As a village head in a remote area, Lin is said to have purchased his commercial houses in Shenzhen's special economic zone where property prices have become one of the most expensive in the mainland, insiders said.

Lin is said to be the life and soul of Wukan village, a coastal fishing village in eastern part of Guangdong province. Lin was elected as Party chief and director of Wukan administrative committee in 2012. He was re-elected as the Party and administrative head of the village in 2014.

Wukan once became under the media spotlights at home and abroad in 2011 when villagers rallied for over 4 months in protest of allegations against the then-village head of a financing violation, land grabs, and corruption.

The rallies finally came to an end following an agreement made after face-to-face talks between villagers and senior Guangdong provincial officials in 2012.