He Zehua, former STMA deputy chief, was sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve period, after which the death sentence will be commuted to life imprisonment, with no possibility of further commutation or parole. Photo credit: Dieter G, Pixabay.
He Zehua, former deputy chief of China's State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA), has been sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve for accepting large amounts of bribes, reports Xinhua.
The Intermediate People's Court of Dalian in Liaoning Province issued the sentence. According to the court's ruling, after the two-year reprieve period, the death sentence will be commuted to life imprisonment, with no possibility of further commutation or parole.
In addition, he was permanently stripped of his political rights, all personal assets were confiscated, and all illicit gains were reclaimed and handed over to the state treasury.
The court discovered that between 1998 and 2023, He exploited his multiple roles, including senior positions in local tobacco monopoly agencies and as deputy chief of STMA, to offer favors in business dealings, project contracts, and personnel appointments, unlawfully receiving bribes and gifts totaling over RMB943 million (approximately US$132.6 million).
He was also discovered to have exploited his authority from previous positions held to solicit unjust advantages for others from 2014 to 2016, accepting bribes totaling over RMB1.47 million.
The court ruling emphasized that the amount of bribes involved in He's offenses was exceptionally large, the circumstances were particularly grave, and the societal repercussions were extremely detrimental, leading to substantial losses for the nation and its people.
However, a portion of the bribes was not actually received by He, and he had been cooperative throughout the investigation process, willingly returning all illicit gains, which were fully recovered. These aspects were taken into account when determining the verdict.
Investigations into corruption have targeted several leaders within the STMA. Recently, former STMA head Ling Chengxing was arrested, and authorities have initiated a probe into the actions of STMA Deputy Head Xu Ying.