The high-profile trial of China's disgraced communist leader Bo Xilai provided fascinating revelation into the secret world of Chinese politicians as his jailed wife said they bought a luxury villa in France for a whopping 2.6 million Euro using bribes paid to her husband.
On day two of the trial today being held Jinan city in eastern Shandong province over bribery, embezzlement and abuse of power charges against 64-year-old Bo, Chinese prosecutors tried to fox him releasing the video of his wife Gu Kailai's confessions as he continued to reject the allegations against him as a frame up.
In the video details of which were released by the Jinan Intermediate Court in its micro blog account stated that Gu, 54, bought a villa near Nice in France with the help of British businessman Neil Heywood.
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Observers say that her account provide fascinating details of private lives of top Chinese leaders whose lifestyles in the recent years have undergone dramatic changes as China expanded its economic reforms emerging as the second largest economy.
Heywood was murdered in 2011 by Gu for threatening the safety of her son Bo Guagua. Gu was given a suspended death sentence with a two years reprieve.
According to a testimony of French architect Patrick Devillers' who played role in the purchase of the villa Heywood was very angry with Gu for asking to transfer his stake in the French property to another person and demanded 1.4 million pounds as compensation in May 2011.
He had previously been entrusted by Gu to hold the stake on her behalf. This is the first time prosecutors released the details of why Gu chose to kill Heywood providing a graphic account.
The prosecutors also produced confessions of police chief of Chongqing Wang Lijun who said he recalled Gu got angry, because Heywood allegedly owed her several million yuan in rent income from the property and threatened the safety of her son Bo Guagua when she demanded the money.
He said Gu had told him that Heywood made seven to eight million yuan a year (over USD 1 million) in rent, but failed to transfer the money. Gu also alleged her son Bo Guagua received threats in 2011, she compiled a list of suspects which included Heywood.
