Chinese Communist Party official sentenced to 17 yrs for graft

A former official of China's ruling Communist party in the country's northern Hebei Province has been sentenced to 17 years in prison for taking bribes.
Liu Fucheng, former secretary of the county committee of the Communist Party of China of Guyuan, was convicted of taking bribes and possessing a large amount of unexplained property, according to the statement issued by Shijiazhuang City Intermediate People's Court today.
Liu accepted bribes of 7.38 million yuan (USD 1.22 million), four gold bars (weighing a total of 400 grams) and unexplained property worth 5.56 million yuan, during his stint as local leader of the CPC in various posts in the province, state-run Xinhua news agency said, citing the court statement.

The court handed down a 17-year jail term while confiscating Liu's personal asset of 700,000 yuan, it said.
Liu said he would not appeal against the ruling.