Top judges arrested in Shenzhen
Shenzhen (AsiaNews/Agencies) Police have arrested a vice-president of Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court and four other senior judges for allegedly "accepting bribes" and "indulging in decadent lifestyles". Many more face investigation in what is believed to be one of the city's and the country's biggest judicial corruption case.
Court vice-president Pei Hongquan was taken away from his house in the middle of the night last month, but a precise date has not been given. His ex-wife, Li Huiliu, was also detained. Until early this month she was director of the court.
A few days before his arrest, Judge Pei, who had been praised by the media for his efforts at judicial reforms, told the local media that he would push for more transparency in the judicial system. "The spectre of corruption can only haunt in darkness, just as the flower of justice will only blossom in sunshine," he said.
Three other senior judges were also detained: head judge Zhang Tinghua, who was in charge of bankruptcy cases; head judge Cai Xiaoling, who was in charge of cases involving Hong Kong people and foreigners; and Judge Liao Zhaohui.
Judge Zhang was detained an hour after he was promoted to head judge on June 6. Investigators found more than HK.2 million and 300,000 yuan at Judge Zhang's house. His personal assets were estimated at tens of millions of yuan.
An anonymous source said Judge Zhang would routinely ask lawyers and businessmen for money in exchange for more favourable verdicts. In one case he is alleged to have asked a lawyer over the phone for 500,000 yuan.
Corruption in China's judicial system is spreading. Only two months ago, the head of the Intermediate People's Court in Wuhan, Zhou Wenxuan, was detained for allegedly taking bribes.
Judicial corruption has become so rampant on the mainland, that even Xiao Yang , the president of the Supreme People's Court, has had to admit that senior court officials are "prone to corruption and should be kept under close supervision".
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13/10/2020 12:37
