A Chinese military court sentences two former defense ministers—Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu—to death with a two-year reprieve for corruption, according to reports citing Xinhua and other outlets. The court finds Wei guilty of accepting bribes and issues a death sentence with a two-year reprieve. It also finds Li guilty of both accepting and offering bribes, imposing the same death-with-reprieve sentence. In China’s system, suspended death sentences are commonly commuted to life imprisonment if the condemned person’s conduct meets requirements during the reprieve period. The charges are part of President Xi Jinping’s continuing anti-corruption campaign that has targeted senior figures in the military and broader political system. Both men are described as among the highest-ranking military officials disciplined in this drive, with some coverage calling the rulings among the harshest in decades. Wei served as defense minister from 2018 until 2023. Li succeeded him but was removed from office in October 2023. Reports also note that both have been expelled from the Communist Party in 2024, though the court statement cited by outlets does not specify the amount of bribes involved.
China military court issues suspended death sentences to two former defense ministers for graft
A Chinese military court sentences two former defense ministers—Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu—to death with a two-year reprieve for corruption, according to reports citing Xinhua and other outlets. The co...
- China’s military court sentences former defense ministers Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu to death with a two-year reprieve for corruption.
- Wei is found guilty of accepting bribes; Li is found guilty of both accepting and offering bribes.
- Multiple outlets report the sentences are among the harshest given to senior military officials in decades amid Xi Jinping’s anti-corruption campaign.
- Wei served as defense minister from 2018 to 2023; Li served briefly after succeeding him and was removed in October 2023.
- Xinhua-linked reporting does not specify the amounts of bribes involved.
Two former defence ministers have received their sentences after a long-running corruption crackdown targeting China's military.
12 hours agoEx-defence ministers, Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe both sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve, among the most severe sentences in a years-long purgeTwo former Chinese defence ministers were given suspended death sentences for bribery on Thursday, after being convicted by China’s military court, in some of the most severe punishments to be handed down in a years-long purge of the military.Chinese state media Xinhua announced on Thursday that Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe were both sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve, meaning that their sentences will probably be commuted to life imprisonment if Li and Wei demonstrate good behaviour. Continue reading...
13 hours agoThe former Chinese defence ministers, Wei Fenghe and Li Shangfu, were both sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve over graft charges. The post China sentences former defence ministers to death for corruption appeared first on Premium Times Nigeria.
19 hours agoUntil now, no one from the military top brass had received such severe punishments since early days of the anti-corruption campaign.
1 day agoPunishment underlines severity of Xi Jinping’s sweeping purge of powerful military
1 day agoBoth were the latest to be sentenced in President Xi Jinping's ongoing anti-corruption campaign, which started more than a decade ago.
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