Former vice governor of Hebei sentenced to 13 years for bribery

BEIJING, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Li Qian, former vice governor of north China's Hebei Province, was sentenced to 13 years in prison on charges of bribery, announced the First Intermediate People's Court of Beijing Municipality on Tuesday.

The court also ruled to impose a fine of 3 million yuan (about 463,800 U.S. dollars) and all the illicit gains and accrued interest of Li to be turned over to the state treasury.

From 2006 to 2013, Li took advantage of his various positions to seek benefits for others regarding construction project registration, real estate development, project contracting and job transfer, among others, according to the verdict.

In return, Li illegally accepted a huge amount of money and gifts worth over 50 million yuan, it added.

The court granted Li leniency according to the law as he confessed to the crime, provided information that assisted in resolving other major cases, pleaded guilty and surrendered his illicit gains on his own accord.

Li accepted the verdict and said he would not appeal.