Former vice-minister of justice sentenced to prison for bribery

Liu Zhiqiang, former vice-minister of justice, was sentenced to 13 years in prison and fined 3 million yuan ($418,122) for taking bribes of over 42.45 million yuan, a court in Anhui province announced on Tuesday.

His illicit gains and related interests have also been ordered to be turned over to State treasury, according to the ruling made by the Wuhu Intermediate People's Court.

The court found that Liu, from 2007 to April 2024, used his positions, including head of the international cooperation division with the Ministry of Public Security and deputy head of the Ministry of Justice, to seek benefits for others in mattes such as business operation and promotion, project contracting and job promotion. In return, he received bribes of over 42.45 million yuan.

Liu's behavior had constituted the crime of bribe taking, and the amount of his bribes was "extremely large", the court said. But it showed leniency as he confessed to the crime, voluntarily reported bribes he received that were unknown to investigators and actively returned his illicit gains.

Public available information shows that Liu, 62, a native of Shandong province, started his career in 1984 and joined the Communist Party of China in 1986.

He worked for the Ministry of Public Security for decades. In 2012, he went to Qinghai province to serve as the vice-governor of the provincial government and head of the provincial public security department.

In January 2016, he became the deputy head of the Ministry of Justice.

He was put into probe in April 2024, and expelled from the Party in October that year. In February, he was indicated on the charge of bribery, and the court publicly heard his case in May.