HEFEI, Dec. 30 -- A former land and resources official from east China's Anhui Province was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday for accepting bribes, a local court said.

Chen Lianggang, 52, former head of the Anhui provincial land and resources department, was found guilty of accepting bribes worth about 7 million yuan (1.1 million U.S. dollars), according to Suzhou municipal intermediate people's court.

Chen has already lodged an appeal at the court.