China’s former minister of agriculture and rural affairs has been sentenced to death after a court case in Beijing.
According to Chinese state media, Tang Renjian was handed down the death penalty with a two-year reprieve for taking massive bribes.
Tang, also a former secretary of the agricultural ministry’s leading party members’ group, has been deprived of his political rights for life.
All of his personal property will be confiscated and his illegal gains from bribery will be recovered and turned over to the national treasury, according to the verdict issued by the Intermediate People’s Court of Changchun in northeast China’s Jilin Province.
Chinese agriculture minister
The court stated that between 2007 and 2024, Tang took undue advantage of his various positions at both central and local levels to assist others in matters such as business operation, project contracting and job adjustment.
In exchange, he accepted money and valuables to the value of over 268 million yuan (about £28 million).
The court ruled that Tang’s offences, which inflicted severe damage on the interests of the state and the people, warranted the death penalty.
However, taking into consideration his cooperation in confessing to his crimes, returning illicit gains, and other mitigating factors, the court granted Tang leniency in its final judgement.
During the trial, prosecutors, the accused and his defence counsel cross-examined the evidence and gave their respective accounts.
Tang pleaded guilty and expressed remorse in his final statement.
