Former top general Guo Boxiong jailed for life for corruption

World Today

File: Guo Boxiong (Photo by Andrew Wong/Getty Images)

A military court sentenced on Monday former Chinese military leader Guo Boxiong to life in prison for accepting bribes.

Guo was also deprived of his political rights for life and stripped of his rank as general. His personal assets were also seized according to the court ruling, and all illicit money and materials were confiscated and turned over to the State Treasury.

Guo, who is 74-years-old, has formerly served as Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission (CMC).

Investigations in 2015 carried out by the CMC disciplinary inspection authorities found that Guo abused his post to seek promotion and other benefits for others, and accepted bribes personally or through his family.

Born in 1942, Guo joined the Communist Party of China (CPC) in 1963. Apart from serving as Vice-Chairman of the Central Military Commission for a decade, Guo held several key posts over the years. At one point, he was a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee.

In 2013, he retired from his position as a general in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

Ever since taking office in 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping has launched an extensive crackdown on corruption, vowing to nab both “tigers” (high-level officials) and “flies” (low-level officials), including those in the military.

Story from CCTV NEWS.